a Prince Caspian story
by WaterLily25
Summary: He saw the window; it was their only chance. Leland took Lily his arms and lifted her onto the window ledge,her legs kicking as she looked at him with horror in her eyes."What are you doing?"Leland looked into her eyes,"Find Caspian!"Before she could speak,her brother let go and she fell from the ledge,the only one to escape the castle that night. Sequel to come soon!
1. The Beginning

Narnia was a beautiful land. To the West were great mountains, to the East was the sea and vast wild forests and plains covered the land. Many creatures knew Narnia as home: centaurs, fauns, Minotaurs, and many beasts. Narnia was not always a wild country: it had kings and queens of old who fought battles with the Narnians and built a great kingdom. Many prosperous years were celebrated by the Narnians but unexpectedly, the last kings and queens of old vanished and the land was left unprotected for many years. Soon the kings and queens of Narnia became legend and the Narnians lost hope of regaining their great kingdom.

But others wanted Narnia as well. Narnia was invaded by the Telmarines, a people from across the sea. They made their home in Narnia and created a new kingdom. The Narnians were driven away to hide in the forests and hatred for the trespassers grew in their hearts. They wanted to fight for their home but the Telmarines' Kingdom grew and they became too great.

The Telmarines were a dark people: their skin was tanned and their hair was dark and their voices were accented. The Telmarine kings were ruthless and greedy, seeking more land to conquer as their kingdom spread across Narnia.

Soon the once feared creatures of Narnia became the creatures of fairytales. They lived in fear of the strange people and some thought they disappeared. The land grew darker; more shadows seemed to fall, and the once beautiful and prosperous land became cruel under the rule of the Telmarines. All except for one king: Caspian the IX.

Caspian IX was a kind king, unlike his forefathers who had conquered the land with greedy hearts. He sought prosperity for the kingdom and he was very merciful. He listened to the opinions of his royal council and he made decisions for his people, not for himself alone.

But Miraz, Caspian IX's brother, did not agree with his ruling. Miraz wanted a stronger kingdom, for the Telmarines to have an army feared by all, and to rule the land with an iron fist, the way he thought a kingdom should be ruled. But the king ignored his brother.

Many prosperous years passed under Caspian IX and the kingdom was thriving. The people adored Caspian IX and they were jubilant when his son, Prince Caspian X, was born. But Miraz's eyes darkened with anger and as Caspian IX planned the future for his son and the Kingdom, Miraz began plans of his own. He became more involved in the royal council and proposed plans that the king saw as promising. The king and his brother grew close and Miraz was pleased.

But the king would not live to see his plans for the kingdom realized or see his son grow into a strong prince. He died unexpectedly one night and the kingdom mourned for the beloved King. The royal council was left to rule the kingdom until the prince was of age to become king.

Miraz did not seem to mourn his brother; he saw a kingdom that needed guidance. He took the high seat in the royal council and thought that since he had been the brother of the king, that he was the one to rule the council. The council members were careful but they ruled that the kingdom will be ruled by the council until Prince Caspian come of age.

The kingdom seemed to be at a standstill, waiting for their king.

Miraz however, was not waiting.

He made plans for the royal council to observe and some members agreed with Miraz's ideas. The council became divided and Miraz worked to gain the trust of the members. One member in particular saw the promise in Miraz's plans.

Alvarez was a loyal Telmarine and had been devoted to Caspian IX. He was a kind man with a strong will and he was a great general of the Telmarine army. But above all, he loved his wife very much.

Her name was Lily and she was the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. She was not a Telmarine but from a different kingdom. She had lighter skin than the Telmarines and had blue eyes, a rarity and striking feature in the Telmarine kingdom. Alvarez adored Lily and brought her to Narnia after meeting her on a Telmarine voyage. Lily adored him and was a good wife.

But As Alvarez grew closer to Miraz, he became cold and distant. He would stay away from his and Lily's chamber and would not return until morning. He met with Miraz every day and every day his heart darkened. His loyalty to Miraz grew and his love for his wife seemed to whither. His wife was heartbroken.

Lily gave birth to a son and she was thankful to see that Alvarez was happy, like he used to be. The boy had dark black hair and dark brown eyes like his father. Lily named her son Leland. Alvarez was proud to have a son and Lily hoped that Leland would bring her husband back to her.

But Leland did not make things better for the small family. Though he grew into a strong young boy, he brought displeasure to Alvarez. Leland in Alvarez's eyes was disrespectful and disobedient. Lily kept Leland away from Alvarez. Even though he was very young, Leland grew protective of his mother especially when Alvarez came home after a meeting with Miraz in the middle of the night. Alvarez was angry that his son did not please Miraz; Miraz wanted strong obedient soldiers, not insolent brats. When Lily became pregnant again, Alvarez hoped that it would be a loyal and obedient son.

The night of the birth, Lily became very sick. Every nurse in the castle was running in and out of her room, trying to save the baby and the mother. Lily's screams could be heard in every wing of the castle and Leland was afraid. Alvarez stayed away from his wife's chambers.

When at last Lily gave birth, she stopped breathing. Leland heard the wails of the newborn child but he could not hear his mother's screams. When the door opened, he saw a nurse carrying a baby and inside the bedchamber, he saw the other nurses crying.

Alvarez stormed into the room and froze in the doorway of his wife's room. Leland watched his father with curiosity. He did not understand why Alvarez looked as if he had seen a ghost.

Alvarez yelled at the nurses to leave and he closed the door behind him, locking him and his wife away.

Leland looked to the nurses who were gathered around the small cradle, murmuring to each other and glancing at the locked door nervously. Leland went to the small cradle and looked at the small child. It looked like his mother.

Alvarez spent hours in the room, not a sound coming from it. Near dawn, the door opened and he walked to where his son slept next to the cradle. He looked down at the baby and hate colored his dark eyes.

A nurse hastily apologized to the grieving man and told him that he had a daughter. The fearful nurse proposed that the baby should be named after her mother.

Alvarez's eyes met the nurses and before she could back away, he drew his sword and killed her.

Leland woke when the other nurses began screaming and he quickly took the baby into his arms and ran into his mother's bedchamber. But Alvarez did not come after him; Alvarez sheathed his sword and left without a word.

Leland looked at his mother's still face. She looked like she was sleeping but he knew she would not wake. He looked down at the little baby and watched her sleep. She was beautiful, like their mother. Leland knew what he must name her and he knew that his mother would want him to protect her. He would protect her with his life.

Years passed and Leland grew into a strong willed, handsome young man. His hatred for Alvarez grew with each day but what kept him strong was his sister, Lily.

She was as strong willed as he brother and as lovely as her mother. She had the same creamy skin, dark hair, bright gray eyes like a cold sea and she was beautiful. She was sad that she had not known her mother but Leland reminded her every day that she had her spirit. Lily loved her brother dearly.

She shared her brother's resentment for their father and she was just as rebellious. They played childish pranks on him when they were young but as they grew older and as Lily saw that his heart was truly corrupted, they chose to leave him alone.

Alvarez fought with Leland almost every day, their loud booming voices echoing through their chambers, and he never showed Leland any sort of affection; only irritation and anger. Alvarez thought Leland was selfish not to join the Telmarine army but Leland said he'd rather be banished.

But as for Lily, Alvarez did not speak to her. He did not even look at her. Lily wondered why their father could not stand to be in the same room with her and Leland often replied: "It is your face: you look like _her_."

With the anger that grew between Leland and Alvarez, it was a wonder to Lily how her brother was not like him. But Leland was never angry with Lily, only loving and understanding. Their bond was stronger than anything anyone in the castle had ever seen. Leland was very protective of his sister.

And as fate would have it, the young girl met Prince Caspian.

As if by magic, the two children bonded almost instantly. They were happy to have found each other and they wondered why they had not met before. They spent hours with each other and snuck out at night to watch the stars from the highest tower. Caspian told her the Stories of Old that his nurse told him, they played games and laughed, and they played tricks on the guards. They were drawn to each other and were inseparable.

Alvarez took another wife who was cold and not very beautiful. The marriage had been Miraz's doing; said that his most loyal servant should not be without a family. Leland and Lily were not pleased with the marriage and were more displeased with their new mother's daughter, Viria. She was Leland's age and she was fierce and almost as cruel as Alvarez. And Alvarez favored her over his own children.

The small family was not healed by the new marriage, only torn further apart. Viria was cruel to Lily and did not like the relationship she shared with the young handsome Prince. Viria watched them from afar, bitterness clouding her expression as she watched them laugh and smile together.

Leland liked Caspian. He thought the prince was good for Lily to distract her from Alvarez and Viria's cruelty and he was happy to see her laugh. Caspian was almost as protective of her as Leland was.

Caspian and Lily spent almost every day with each other as they grew into their eighteenth year and as their relationship developed, Miraz began to pay more attention. Viria was no longer the only one that disagreed with their relationship. Miraz's suspicion grew into detestation and he knew that the bond between Alvarez's rebellious daughter and the prince must be broken.

Miraz discovered that the young girl had been spending every day with his nephew and as he watched their relationship grow, he became paranoid that she was putting thoughts into the Prince's head and that he would become rebellious like her. He also had other worries…

Miraz confronted Alvarez and ordered him to forbid his daughter from seeing the prince. Miraz did not want the girl to corrupt the king to be.

Alvarez confronted his daughter that night, one of the only times he ever spoke directly to her, and accused her of displeasing Miraz and corrupting the prince.

Lily was astonished that anyone would think that her relationship with Caspian was bad but she was even more surprised that her father was speaking to her. She argued that her feelings for Caspian were none of her father or Miraz's concern.

Alvarez became livid. He yelled at Lily, forbidding her to see Caspian. Lily shook with anger and she screamed that he could not control her as Miraz controlled him.

Something flashed in Alvarez's eyes and Lily could not understand the hatred that she saw in him. But as he drew his hand back to strike her, Leland burst into the room with his sword drawn.

Stunned and heartbroken, Lily ran to her room and locked the door. For the rest of the night, Leland tried to soothe his sister, the only time he had ever heard her cry.

Lily tried to see Caspian but her attempts were fruitless; Caspian was guarded and watched at all times and Viria kept a close eye on Lily and told Alvarez of her attempts. Viria was pleased with Lily's tears; as she was in favor of Alvarez and Miraz, no one would protest a relationship between her and the prince.

Miraz had won and Lily was heartbroken.

Alvarez continued to meet with Miraz daily, carrying papers and maps with him into his room, and the royal council members seemed to lessen in numbers.

Lily tried to talk to Leland about the strange things that were occurring but he had secrets of his own. He often stole into Alvarez's chamber for hours and then sneak back out when Alvarez returned from his council meetings. Leland did not discuss these things with Lily but he told her that one day they would be free.

Miraz's plans of gaining loyalty from the royal council were slowly becoming a reality. And one night, his wife gave birth to a son. The news was spread throughout the kingdom but it was overshadowed by Prince Caspian's disappearance. Chaos erupted in the castle and the grounds were searched carefully for the prince. But he was nowhere to be found. The prince was missing.

The news spread like fire throughout the kingdom, everyone frantic to find the beloved prince, and when Lily heard the news, she was distraught. Leland reassured her that there was nothing to fear and that everything would be alright. Though Lily was frightened for her and her brother, he told her that he would protect her with his life. And so he told her his plan for their escape.

….


	2. The Escape

Lily lay silently in her bed, listening for the signal. She sifted uncomfortably as she stared at her bedroom door; the sheathed sword at her side was pressing into her hip and the boots that reached to her knees were tangled in her bed sheets.

She had been dressed for hours, waiting for her brother to come get her. Even though he told her to get some rest, she was much too excited to even think about closing her eyes. Tonight was the night she'd been waiting for.

She was well prepared; she had the two knives her brother had taken from the arsenal on her along with her sword and she had dressed warmly with a long cloak and long sleeved shirt as well as food and extra clothes in her pack. She wore Telmarine armor; a dark green studded vest and leather cuffs around her arms. She had to leave her dresses behind.

She did not know where they were going, but her brother had told her more than once that he knew they would not be alone. They were traveling with the other rebel children of the royal council members, the ones who wished for a better life, but Lily could tell that Leland was looking forward to something else.

They had been planning for weeks, nearly two months, not long after Caspian had disappeared. His disappearance was the cue that Leland had needed: he knew they could not stay. He plotted their escape with a dear friend of his, Gabriel, who was a son of one of the missing council members. With Gabriel and his sister Eris, the twins Marsonia and Genia and their younger brother Lukas, they would escape the Telmarine castle. But it wasn't the escape that worried Lily. She became anxious when her brother did not tell her the next step of his plan after they escape.

But there wasn't time for fear: she heard a distinct knock on her door. She threw back the covers, put her pack over her shoulders and opened the door, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright.

Her tall brother smiled down at her; his dark eyes twinkled with anticipation and his long dark hair casted shadows over his face.

"Are you ready little sister?"

She smiled excitedly, "more than you know, brother."

"Good. Let's go."

Lily followed Leland through the short hallway and into the main room of their family's wing. Ever since Alvarez's promotion to second in command from Miraz, their family had moved to larger living quarters and their chambers were closer to Miraz's, an unfortunate factor for the rebels.

Leland went to the desk next to the window and rummaged through the papers that cluttered it. Lily looked out the window; the moon was full and the sky was clear and covered with stars. Through the battlements and towers, she could see the distant plains that separated the castle from the woods. The land was glowing beneath the moon: snow covered the land like a thick blanket.

Leland found a map and tucked it into his armored vest, turning to open the wooden door, "hurry, Lily."

Leland led the way out of their family's wing and they went into the wide stone passage that would lead them to the great hall where their friends were waiting. Lily looked back at the door of their father's chambers and her breathing quickened as she thought of him charging after them.

The castle was gargantuan: made entirely of stone with tall windows and arching passageways, the fortress was like a maze of halls and stairwells. There were six floors and thirteen towers of the center part of the castle. Leland and Lily were on the fifth floor and needed to get to the second where the bridge was.

They were alone in the passage but they stayed out of the moonlight that was streaming through the tall windows. They kept close and Leland peered around each corner before they passed. Every now and then there were soldiers patrolling the halls and they snuck past them, holding their breath. When they reached the double door entrance to the great hall, Leland listened carefully before gently pulling one open.

With her hand on the knife in her belt, Lily hurried through the small opening and into the great hall. The hall was dark, like the rest of the castle, and very cold; the long wooden table and high-backed chairs casted strange shadows in the room, making Lily feel uneasy as she looked for anyone that may be lurking.

She smiled as she saw her friends, Gabriel and Eris. They were standing in the shadows next to the windows. Eris rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Lily, her hazel eyes bright as she smiled at Leland.

Lily tucked Eris's long golden hair behind her ear. Eris and her brother were also Telmarine outsiders for their looks; their father and mother were from another kingdom but their father was still one of Miraz's most loyal followers.

Lily observed the grand table in the center of the hall and she quickly went to the head chair, Miraz's chair, took out her knife and carved an "X" in the seat.

She looked at her brother and pointed at her mark, "Long live the king."

Eris laughed quietly into her hand and Leland smiled at his sister.

Gabriel grasped Leland's arm, "Marsonia and her brother and sister should be down at the main entrance. Their safety is at risk if they stay there too long."

Leland nodded, "the quickest way is down the fifth floor tower."

Without another word, Lily and Eris followed their brothers out of the hall and back into the passage.

They kept in the shadows, their cloaks billowing behind them as they ran silently, and they turned into a spiraling staircase. They followed close behind Leland, their footfalls quickening down the stone steps. They passed the fourth floor and were ready to reach the third when they heard an odd noise.

Leland stopped before stepping onto the third floor landing and looked back at Lily, his brow furrowed as he listened to the sound that seemed to be growing louder. It was footsteps…

Lily's eyes widened and she whispered fiercely: "soldiers!"

Leland and Gabriel turned around so quickly that Lily and Eris almost fell as they clamored back up the staircase.

"Take the fourth landing!" Leland shouted as the sound of the soldiers' footfalls filled the staircase.

Lily threw herself up the stairs and onto the fourth floor landing and she turned to run to the right, she stopped dead in her tracks. Eris gasped and Leland cursed under his breath.

The shadowy corridor was only lit by the moonlight from the windows and the torches in the soldiers' hands. Lily saw the other escapees, all squirming in the gasp of the soldiers. Some of the soldiers were even related to some of the rebels, such as the three brothers who were holding Marsonia her twin sister Genia and Lukas.

But Lily's eyes narrowed on the girl that was standing in front of the group of soldiers, her step-sister Viria.

Viria's cold black eyes glinted in the flickering flames of the torches and her smile was calm as she took in the stunned faces before her.

Her deep voice echoed lightly down the corridor, "My my my, what a surprise."

Leland stepped forward and pulled Lily behind him, shielding her with his body.

Lily tore her eyes away from Viria and she looked up at Leland, wondering what was going through his head. She could see his thoughts whirling around in his head as his eyes flickered from Viria's face to the soldiers, no doubt trying to think of a last minute escape.

"Now why are you all out of bed at this hour? I would be very interested to hear your explanations…and so would your fathers. In fact I'm sure the entire council should be woken tonight; this should not be taken lightly."

Viria's laugh echoed down the corridor and Lily glared at her.

Viria turned to the captured twins, "Ah the Molvolro sisters and your mousey brother, caught by your own flesh and blood! How fitting," Viria smiled at the three soldiers holding the twins and their younger brother. "Maybe they'll set an example for you of how true Telmarine citizens should behave. I'm sure your father will be _very_ grateful to me for bring you back to him."

"He is no father of ours!" Lukas shouted.

Viria smirked at the young boy, "Well, maybe I can take this one off his hands."

Viria drew back her hand and slapped Lukas across the face, the rings on her fingers leaving bloody scratches on his cheeks.

Genia cried out and Marsonia struggled in her older brother's hold, "Don't you touch him, you filthy snake!"

"Silence!" Viria shouted harshly, her calm expression fierce. "You're not the ones I was after."

Leland's body tensed and he looked over his shoulder, his eyes meeting Lily's for a moment. But his eyes wandered up from her face to the window at her back. His eyes narrowed.

Lily's wide eyes watched him carefully and she looked at the window too, feeling the cold air through the glass. Far away, she could see the great plain that stretched to the dark forest and then the mountains that reached to the sky. What could Leland see?

"My dear brother," Viria said with a smile, her black dress dragging on the stone floor like a shadow as she walked towards them. "I should have known you would be the leader of these misfits."

Leland tore his eyes away from the cold window and glared at his step-sister.

Viria laughed at his silence, "always the hero? Well I'm sure Alvarez will know what to do with you; such a _disgrace_ to the family, a disgrace to the entire kingdom!"

She laughed and Leland's fists tightened.

As Viria walked away from them, Leland nudged Gabriel and motioned to his hand on his sword. Lily was confused by this exchange but Gabriel seemed to understand Leland; he slowly put his hand on the hilt of his sword too.

"Now," Viria began as she stood between the soldiers and the rebel group. "Where is my dear little sister? I'm sure Alvarez will be most anxious to speak to _her_-"

In one quick movement, Leland whipped around to the window, drew his sword, and smashed the window with its hilt, shard of glass raining down onto the stone floor. Gabriel drew his sword and went at the soldiers who released their captives. Viria was motionless where she stood and did not know where to direct her attention.

Then, Leland picked Lily up into his arms and lifted her onto the window ledge, her legs kicking as she looked at him with horror in her eyes.

"What are you doing!?"

Viria shook with fury, "_get them!_"

Lily looked over the window's edge, her blue eyes wide. The snow covered ground was hundreds of feet below.

She turned to her brother and her voice shook with desperation, finally understanding his plan, "Leland-"

Leland's eyes were fierce and she could barely hear his voice above the shouts and clashing swords behind him.

"_Find Caspian!_"

Lily's eyes widened and before she could say another word, Leland pushed her.


	3. The Forest

Cold air swept past her ears as she fell, her stomach rolling. She did not scream or close her eyes; she could only stare at the ground below. She heard Viria's fading voice scream "_find her, find the girl!_"

Lily's body felt lighter than a feather as she fell through the air. She looked down, the snowdrift against the tower getting closer with each second. The towers above her were casting a dark shadow over her and the cold air cut against her skin.

She closed her eyes and curled her legs under her.

Her body hit the drift and fell deep under the snow. She gasped for air, realizing that she had been holding her breath. She pushed the snow away, trying to dig herself out of the drift as she realized that Leland had just saved her. She did not have time to think about what to do, she could only think of escaping; she couldn't let her brother's efforts go to waste.

She pushed against the snow, trying to pull herself out. Her bag had her trapped and she struggled to free her arms from the straps. She knew the guards would be after her soon.

She left her bag behind and slid down the embankment, her feet searching for the solid ground. As soon as she felt the frozen earth beneath her boots, she ran.

She felt very small on the great plain and she did not know if she stood a chance against the horses of the guards but she had to try. Her feet slammed against the hard ground that stretched for what seemed to be miles ahead of her. She saw the distant forest and knew that she'd be safe within the trees.

She remembered now what her brother must have been thinking when he saw the forest through the window. The forest was cursed, or so the Telmarine stories said. The creatures of the old Narnia hid within the trees and waited there to kill whoever wandered in. No one came out alive. But Lily did not have time to let fairytales frighten her.

The snow gleamed in the moonlight and Lily saw her shadow next to her, running hard as if to keep up with her. She saw that she was an easy target in the moonlight; there was nowhere to hide. She pushed harder, her feet throbbing in her boots.

Her sword hit her leg with every lunge and her long hair and cape whipped in the air behind her. She did not pay any notice to the icy air but only pushed herself harder. Her heart jumped anxiously when she heard the cry of a horse.

She dared a glance behind her and the castle was finally behind her, its dark towers menacing against the clear night sky, and the city cascaded behind it against the low rocky terrain. But all Lily saw were the six soldiers on horses that were racing towards her.

She gasped for air as she faced towards her destination and she pushed her feet to go faster. They barely touched the ground.

Suddenly, she felt a great surge of strength and air filled her lungs, courage coursing through her. She felt as if someone was running with her as she neared the forest, beckoning her to enter. She could see the tree line…

At last, she reached the forest and she did not slow as she charged through the trees. Branches were fallen everywhere and she leapt over rocks and ditches, trying to get far enough in to hide.

She heard the horses hesitate just outside of the wall of trees. She dove behind a great fur and put her back against its trunk. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath.

"Are we going in there?" one of the men asked.

The horses grunted restlessly and Lily thought her heart was going to break through her chest. She listened carefully.

"We'll tell Viria she fell," said another. Lily recognized the voice of Marsonia and Genia's oldest brother, Antony. "She died in the forest; that's believable."

"She probably will die in there anyway," one of them said. "No one has ever come out alive."

One of the men shouted and Lily heard the thudding of hooves. She peeked around the tree trunk and saw the horses turning away from the trees.

She stepped out from behind the tree and watched the group of men riding back towards the castle.

She heaved a sigh and leaned over, her eyes closed as she breathed heavily, her heart still pounding. She waited for a long moment before turning back to the dense forest; the trees towered above her and she could see the sky through the webbed branches. The forest floor was uneven and there were fallen trees and rocks everywhere. She couldn't hear anything except her shaky breath, clouding the cold air in front of her face.

As she stared into the darkness, she remembered what her brother had said before she fell.

_Find Caspian_.

Lily's eyes searched the trees, expecting the handsome prince to step out from behind one of them. She understood now: Leland knew something she had not. He knew where Caspian was. But why did he keep it a secret from her?

She didn't know where to go, she didn't know how long she would last alone in the forest, and she did not know if she would ever find Caspian. But if he was somewhere in the forest waiting, then she would search for him.

She was hesitant but as she thought of his smiling face, she walked forward and went deeper into the trees.

The air was colder beneath the trees and there was no sound of the wind or of birds in the trees, only a hollow silence that filled Lily's ears. She wrapped her cloak tightly around her and she was careful not to fall over the fallen branches or to slip on the snow. She could not see anything beyond the trees, only a labyrinth of trunks. The moonlight streaming through the branches lit her path, making the snow sparkle, and she passed a great mound of stone that looked like a small mountain hiding among the trees. Perhaps the forest had not always been there.

Lily did not stop to rest but with every step she grew more aware of her loneliness. She forgot that her brother would not come up behind her, laughing and encouraging her to keep walking. She was alone in an unknown forest, the first forest she had ever seen. She had not been outside the city.

She ignored her aching toes and fingers; she knew she could not focus on the cold air that was pinching her skin and the icy snow that was crunching beneath her boots. She could not slow down; she could not disappoint Leland or the others. She realized that she was their only hope of escaping. She had to find help somehow.

As the land began to slope upward, Lily dug her boots deeper into the snow, planting her steps firmly so she would not fall. Soon she had to use the trees for climbing up the hill. Her hands were scratched and scuffed against the rough bark and they became number. She thought of Leland, no doubt sleeping in the dungeons. She cursed herself for leaving her pack; at least Leland and her friends had food.

She reached the top of the hill and saw that she was much higher than she expected. When she reached the top, she saw a breathtaking sight.

She had climbed up to a cliff and she was able to see everything. Below were bright plains of snow and rivers snaking through the land, their waters sparkling, and beyond the forests were great mountains, pointing up to the starry night sky. This is the true Narnia, Lily thought.

She knew the mountains were to the west and unthinkingly she looked to the east, wondering if she could travel to the sea. More than anything, she wanted to feel the sun on her face and the sand, to see waves…

After gazing at the marvelous view, she turned back to her snowy path and continued. The land was more treacherous now: there were rocks hidden under the snow as she climbed down the other side of the hill and when she reached the bottom there were ice patches.

As she stepped carefully over a grouping of small boulders, her foot slipped and she fell between the rocks, her foot breaking through a patch of ice. Her face winced in pain as she felt the coldness through her boot but she caught her breath and listened: rushing water, just outside the trees.

She pulled her foot free of the ice and rocks and threw herself toward the sound, hurrying to reach the water. The roaring sound grew closer and she hoped the river would be helpful in her quest. She stopped just behind the tree line, resting her face on the cold bark of a fur. Her icy blue eyes were intent on the scene before her.

Clear water was rushing over rocks near the shore and became darker as it stretched across to the other side. The dark forest on the other side seemed even more dangerous than the one behind her; she could see that the snow covered land was steep and was covered with more boulders and broken trees. The moonlight played on the water's surface but did not light the other side.

Lily looked down the river on either side; the river was coming from the outlying mountains and down into the forest. She could see where the water had washed away the snow and the shore was made of small pebbles. She looked back to the water and saw that it was deep and unmistakably cold. She looked down at her green cape and wondered if there was any other option besides swimming across.

But she knew there wasn't, the river was too wide for there to be a bridge farther down. She stepped out from the trees and into the moonlight. Her boots crunched on the pebbles and she did not stop walking as she tucked her cape into her armored vest. If she was quick, maybe there was a chance of the cape staying dry.

The only experience Lily had of swimming was in the castle fountains. But she knew this would be quite different.

She waded into the shallow and the cold shocked her skin. Without pausing to think about it, she dove into the water.

Earlier she could not see them but she felt them as she fought her way across: the currents were strong and began pulling her downstream. Her arms throbbed in the cold as she pulled her body through the water and her boots left the rocky bottom. For a small moment, she thought she was going to drown. The cold water made it difficult to breathe and her chest felt tight. She could feel her body slipping…

Then she felt a surge of strength, like she had when she was running across the plains. Her fingers felt warm and she pushed through the water, coming closer to the other side. Then she laughed with relief as her feet brushed the rocky shore.

She crawled out of the water and fell onto the pebbles, drinking in the air as she rested. Her long hair was plastered to her face and her shirt and pants clung to her body, enveloping her in an icy grasp. Even through her cold drenched clothes, she could feel that the temperature had dropped.

She removed her long cape from her vest and was surprised to see that some portions were dry. She checked her sword and knives, worried that they would stick to their sheaths when they dried. She wanted to rest until dawn but she had a strange feeling that she should keep moving.

Her eyes appraised the new dark wood before her and with a deep breath she plunged once again into the trees.

The snow was deeper on this side of the river and the land was not a smooth as she climbed upward. The climb was not easy and she slipped on the snow a couple of times and after looking back down the hill, she knew a fall would most likely keep her from continuing.

But she kept climbing, thinking of her brother and friends though she still did not know what to do to help them.

_Find Caspian_.

The thought of her dear friend seemed to give her strength as she climbed. She thought of his face and shinning black eyes, the friendliest she had ever seen. She missed the sound of his laugh, she had almost forgotten it. She could not remember the last time she had seen him but she remembered every time before it.

Her happiest memories were with Caspian. Star gazing at night, playing games in the castle, horse races through the city. He was there for her when Alvarez was at his worst and he always made her laugh. She could see his face clear as day as she walked through the deep snowdrift but remembering his disappearance almost made him seem impossible.

She remembered the last months of their relationship the best, when they were older. Before their separation they had been the closest, closer than Lily had been to anyone other than her brother. Caspian had been so gentle and kind…

As she fought her way up the hill, memories that she had fought to suppress flooded her thoughts. They were bittersweet and made her heart ache, knowing how close she had been to him; how close they _might_ have been.

She reached the top of the hill at last. It was still dark as pitch and she could not see what lay down the hill or beyond it. She slowly stepped down to make her way down the hill, placing her foot on a boulder. But the rock was slick; her foot slipped off the rock and she lost her footing.

She closed her eyes as her body fell limply down the steep hill, snow flying all around her. She tried to reach for a tree but her arm was snapped back sharply as it hit a rock. She cried out in pain and tried to hold it to her chest as she continued to fall.

Her body at last came to a rest at the bottom of the hill in a small clearing. She lifted her head stiffly and tried to see through the snow that was covering her hair and lashes but she could see nothing. Her body was completely numb, her legs aching, and her arm throbbing. She felt the leather gauntlet around her wrist and was thankful that Leland had given her the proper armor. But she couldn't move it.

She lay there in the snow, the exhaustion catching up to her, and she did not try to get up. The snow beneath her cheek felt strangely warm and she wanted nothing more than to fall sleep. Her body was so cold.

"I'm sorry Leland," she whispered weakly, her conscientiousness clouding. Her eyes barely open, she saw a bright white light and heard a strange sound…the hollow sound of waves crashing on the shore. She felt warm, like her body was covered in sunlight.

The sky was bright blue, clear and bright, and Lily could smell the salt in the wind. She saw something walking towards her…a great animal with a golden mane…

Lily, feeling safe and warm, closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.


	4. The Wolves

Deep in the heart of the forest on a snowy embankment, a pack of gray wolves were scourging the snow, looking for food. Their black noses sniffed along the snow's surface and their ears were pricked and alert. Not only were they hunting for food, they were also hunting for intruders.

They were the guardians of the forest; the ones in charge of the forest's safety against humans, especially from Telmarines. While the centaurs and other creatures slept, the wolves searched the entire forest in the dark, ready to protect the sleeping Narnians.

One wolf, the leader, suddenly lifted his head and stared far off through the trees. He sniffed the air and his yellow eyes narrowed. It was the scent of a human.

He reared back his head and let out a long drawn howl, the call piercing through the icy air. The other wolves looked to their leader and just as the howl ended, they were off.

They were the fastest pack in the forest. Snow flew out from beneath their paws and they covered miles of ground in minutes when it took a human hours to cross. They were not ordinary wolves.

They were swift and quiet and the scent got stronger as they drew nearer to their target. They came to a clearing at the bottom of a steep hill and they approached carefully, surrounding the clearing. In the center was a body half buried in the snow and still as stone.

The leader of the pack looked up at the steep hill and saw by the snow tracks that the human had fallen. One of the female wolves approached the human and sniffed its long dark mane of hair.

"It is a daughter of Eve," she said, her low voice a soft rumble.

The pack leader came forward and observed the body, his eyes cold. "It may be a daughter of Eve but it is dressed in Telmarine clothes and armor."

"And there's a sword at its side," growled one of the others.

The female wolf looked to the leader, "perhaps we should tell the Kings and Queens."

"Or perhaps we should kill it before it wakes up," a wolf said darkly, stepping forward with barred teeth.

"She's already half dead," growled the female in defense, placing her body between the aggressive wolf and the body. "The cold has almost claimed her life."

"She is right," the leader said. "We need to tell the Kings and Queens. It may be a spy and it may be of use to them."

The pack leader let out another howl and they stared off into the trees, listening through the darkness and silence.

The female wolf brushed the snow off the human's face and hair with her black nose, revealing the cold flesh of the human's cheek.

"She is beautiful," said another female wolf.

"Something doesn't feel right," said the first female wolf as she looked down at the sleeping girl. "Something tells me she's not a threat."

"We'll let the Kings and Queens decide of that," said the pack leader, his deep voice loud and commanding in the cold air.

The wolves looked up at the sound of soft footfalls in the snow and saw a bright red fox coming towards them.

The fox's long beautiful tail brushed the snow lightly behind him and a cunning smirk was on his lips as he approached.

"You called?" The fox asked.

The wolf leader frowned, "it was not you to whom I was calling."

"The centaurs are a bit busy at the moment," the fox replied as he trotted forward to see what the wolves were guarding. As his eyes fell on the human's face, he jumped back in surprise.

"A Telmarine! Well, well the Kings and Queens would like to hear about this…"

"Alert their majesties that an intruder in Telmarine clothing has been found in the forest ten miles from the How," the leader ordered. "And tell them it is a daughter of Eve."

The fox nodded, his eyes grave, and at once he turned around and dashed through the trees. The wolves watched the red tail until they could no longer see it and they lay down next to each other in the snow. The female wolf lay next to the girl's body, breathing on her face to keep her warm.

The wolves listened and watched the dark trees as they waited; wondering if this wasn't the only Telmarine in the forest. But an hour had not passed before they heard the heavy footfalls of hooves in the deep snow. The wolves rose and turned their eyes to the sound, hoping that it wasn't a Telmarine ambush.

But torch light suddenly filled the clearing, chasing the dark shadows away, and two centaurs stepped forward. They were tall and dark, their eyes were suspicious as they fell on the human body, and long knives were strapped to their strong flanks. The two creatures turned their bodies to face the ones behind them and they held the torches high.

There were four horses entering the clearing, each carrying a rider in armor. The first four were the Pevensies, the Kings and Queens of Old; the Kings and Queens that had ruled Narnia hundreds of years ago before disappearing.

The first was a blonde haired boy of eighteen, the once High King Peter. Though he was young, he had once been a great king and possessed great knowledge of battles and kingship. He carried his renowned sword at his side and he was dressed in brown leather and green and a fur cloak covered his shoulders.

The second to appear was Queen Susan. She was beautiful with long brown hair, hazel eyes, and full red lips, but she was strong and fatal with a bow and arrow. She was the careful one of her siblings and though she was known for her gentleness, she could be very fierce.

King Edmund rode into the clearing with his youngest sister Lucy holding tight to his waist. They were the youngest king and queen but were still as important as Peter and Susan. Edmund had dark hair, almost black, and dark brown eyes. Before the Pevensies' first journey into Narnia, Edmund was foul and cruel. But, like many experiences in Narnia, it changed him and he became King Edmund the Just.

Queen Lucy was the youngest of them all but had more courage than anyone had ever seen. She was brave and bright and was especially kind. She was also known for her healing elixir that could heal anyone with one drop of the rich orange liquid. She had shoulder length brown hair and kind brown eyes. She had been the first of her siblings to find Narnia. If it hadn't been for Lucy, none of them would have ever found the magical land.

The last to enter was Prince Caspian.

He had dark brown hair that fell almost to his shoulders and his skin was light bronze as if he had always lived in sunlight. His eyes were dark, almost black, and he was the same age as King Peter. He wore Telmarine armor and carried a long sword and when he entered the clearing, the centaurs bowed their heads to him as well.

The Kings and Queens dismounted and approached the wolves that had risen to greet them. Prince Caspian dismounted and patted his dark horse before going forward to see why they had been summoned.

"Your majesties," the pack leader growled gently as he bowed his head. He lifted his yellow eyes to King Peter's, "we have found a Telmarine soldier."

Peter's eyes narrowed and they all looked down at the human body in the snow, their eyes intent on it as if they expected it to move. Lucy though showed no fear: she went forward and knelt next to the frozen body, brushing away the snow from its long dark hair.

Lucy smiled in amazement, "it is a girl!"

Susan went forward as well and knelt next to her sister, her red dress settling around her. Susan's hazel eyes were guarded as she brushed her fingers across the cold face. Susan smiled gently too, "she's beautiful."

"Beautiful or not," Edmund interjected, "she can still be dangerous. What if she's a spy that's come to find Caspian?"

Prince Caspian stepped forward and watched the two Queens dusted the snow off the body. His dark eyes were confused.

Peter looked at the pack leader, "Did you find her like this?"

"Yes," answered the wolf. "She fell down this hill and must have fallen asleep."

"She is barely breathing sire," the female wolf answered, her voice urgent.

Peter looked at the body and Edmund whispered to him, "I don't know about this, Peter."

"But she can be of use to us," the blonde king answered. "She may be able to give us answers."

But as Susan brushed the frozen girl's hair away from her face, Caspian's eyes widened and his accented voice was clear, "she's not a spy."

The Pevensies looked up at the Telmarine Prince in surprise and he went forward to look at the girl's face. Caspian was amazed as he removed his gloves and touched her frozen face, his dark eyes wide with what looked like fear.

"Why is she wearing Telmarine armor?" Edmund asked skeptically.

"I don't know," Caspian said hastily as he helped Lucy brush the snow away. "But she is not an enemy."

"You know her," Lucy said with an excited smile as she watched the Prince's face.

"Yes," Caspian said softly as he looked at the revealed face of the girl, his lips smiling slightly. "Yes, I know her."

He looked up at Peter and spoke quickly, "She's on our side; she is my friend."

"Then we will welcome her," Susan said, glancing at her brothers with steady eyes. "We can't leave her out here."

Caspian looked up from the body and looked around them, his eyes searching the trees, "but why would she be out here…alone?"

Peter and Edmund's hands went to the hilts of their swords as they too searched the snowy ground for tracks. "We need to head back," Peter said sternly.

Caspian pushed his arms under the frozen girl and lifted her from the snow, holding her sleeping body gently.

Lucy rose and looked at her face, "what is her name?"

"Lily."

Lucy smiled again and then took out a small glass bottle from her belt. She uncorked the bottle and as Susan opened the girl's lips, Lucy tipped the bottle and a small orange drop fell into her mouth.

Caspian watched anxiously as the girls bluish lips returned to their rosy color, her cheeks became less pale, and her face no longer looked dead but alive. She looked warm again. Caspian looked at her for a long moment, trying to remember everything about her face: her eyes were lined with long dark lashes, her lips were like rosebuds, and her skin was creamy, unlike the Telmarine people. Her long hair he remembered well, dark warm brown, but what he remembered most were her eyes: icy gray, like a cold sea, but warm like her smile.

The prince smiled, "thank you, Queen Lucy."

"Well," said Edmund hesitantly as he looked at the girl's beautiful face, "maybe she isn't a spy…but if she kills us all while we're sleeping don't say that I didn't warn you."

"I will carry her, sire," said a deep voice. One of the centaurs stepped forward, handing his torch to his companion, and approached the prince. "She will be looked after."

"Thank you," Caspian said as he placed the sleeping girl in the centaur's strong arms. The prince watched her as the centaur lead the way out of the clearing, anxious for her to wake.

They mounted their horses and galloped back into the dark forest, the wolves following them in their wake.


	5. The Secret Plan

"And where was the girl heading?" Miraz asked evenly as he looked out the tall window, his dark eyes resting on the distant forest. The night was still dark, only a few hours from sunrise.

The entire council had been summoned, barely awake in their high backed chairs that circled the room. Their tired eyes followed Miraz as he paced in front of the windows, like a dark predator waiting to be fed.

The hall was lit by only three torches and the moonlight that was falling through the glass windows. The council chairs lined the walls and the king's throne stood tall at the head of the hall, stained glass windows towering behind it.

Miraz stroked his black pointed beard slowly and his eyes looked up and rested on the girl that was standing in the middle of the hall. She watched him respectfully with three soldiers standing behind her, and she smiled cunningly.

"I do not know sire, but there are others who do."

The doors to the hall opened and two soldiers came forward, each dragging a young man in chains. The two hostages were thrown down on the floor in front of the girl and Miraz approached them, his dark eyebrows raised as he observed the men.

"Ah," he said after a pause, looking to the man standing at the head of the room next to the empty throne of the King. "Alvarez, your son was the instigator of this little plan. I might have guessed."

Miraz's dark accented voice was calm and Alvarez watched him expressionlessly, not looking at his son who was seething as he knelt before Miraz.

Miraz knelt before the young man and spoke carefully, "tell me son of Alvarez, why I was wakened at this late hour?"

Leland did not answer. His long black hair fell like a curtain before his face, and his friend Gabriel next to him stayed quiet as well, his hands in tight fists.

Miraz lifted his hand and hit Leland across his face and his voice was still calm, "tell me why I am not in my chamber sleeping. Or you and your friends will be punished worse than you can imagine."

Leland looked up at last, his cheek red from the strike. His dark eyes burned into Miraz's, "because we believe in a free Narnia."

Miraz waited for a moment. His voice was quiet as he spoke, "your son has a wild imagination, Alvarez."

Alvarez only stood silently next to the empty throne, his face like stone.

Leland glared at him, "I am no son of his."

Miraz stood and returned to the windows, "Then tell me about your sister."

"You won't find her," Leland said at once, a victorious smirk on his lips.

Gabriel allowed a small smile as well.

"Of course I won't," Miraz said lifting his head as he stared out the cold glass. "Because she is dead."

Leland and Gabriel's faces fell at once, their chests constricted as if the air had been stolen from them. Leland looked up at his father, who remained silent, and then looked back to Miraz's back.

"You lie," he hissed.

"On the contrary brother," Viria said, smiling darkly. "The soldiers who followed her into the forest saw her broken body at the bottom of a gorge. She's nothing more than a frozen corpse by now."

Leland let out a roar of despair and made to attack Viria but the solider behind him raised the hilt of his sword and hit Leland on the back of his head. Leland fell to the stone floor and breathed heavily.

Lord Sopespian, the leader of the royal council, smiled cleverly at Alvarez, "such a shame, Lord Alvarez, that you could not put your son's spirit to good use. He would have made a good solider no?"

Leland closed his eyes tightly as he listened to the council members laugh.

Miraz turned back to the two captives and waved his hand. "Take them away."

The two men were dragged out of the room and Miraz addressed the council, "we have reason to believe that Prince Caspian has been captured."

"Captured!"

The council members made noises of surprise as they sat upright in their chairs. Miraz turned and walked to the head of the hall and up the steps that led to the throne. Alvarez watched him carefully.

"Our prince was taken," Miraz said slowly as he turned to face the council, "by Narnians."

The council waited and then laughed again.

"My Lord Miraz," said lord Sopespian with a skeptical look, "cannot be serious."

"You chose to blame the prince's disappearance on some fairytale!" shouted another member.

"And you have my deepest condolences Lord Miraz," Lord Sopespian said carefully. "That only a few months ago you lost your nephew, the rightful heir to the throne, the very night your wife blessed you with a son." Lord Sopespian smiled, "and now, he has been captured."

"Captured by fairy tales!" shouted another.

The voices of the council grew as they argued and protested Miraz. But he only watched them silently.

"Ever since the death of Caspian the IV you yourself have been behaving as if you were king! And now behind his walls his own son has disappeared and you say he was captured!"

The council shouted in agreement and Lord Sopespian laughed as he watched Miraz.

"Give me a week, gentlemen," Miraz said gently, walking around the throne. He placed his hand on the armrest, "and I will give you proof that the Narnians exist. And we will fight for our dear prince."

The council fell silent and Miraz descended the steps and walked down the middle of the hall between the council chairs.

"Get some rest my lords," he said as the hall doors were opened. "We have work to do."

Miraz left the hall and soon the other council members followed. Alvarez left the hall without a word or a look to Viria and the doors closed behind him. The hall had emptied except for Viria and the three dark brothers. They watched her carefully as she went to the windows to look at the distant dark forest.

"She isn't dead," she said at last, her dark voice carrying through the hall.

"Then why did you lie to the council?" asked the oldest brother Antony.

"Let them worry about their council meetings. We'll take care of her."

"But she'll probably die tonight anyway," said the middle brother, Sapian. "Why not leave her there to die?"

"Because she is looking for Caspian," Viria said quietly.

The three brothers looked at each other in confusion, their armor gleaming in the torchlight.

"She'll ruin everything Miraz has been building. She must be stopped."

"But what about the Narnians?" Dolrozo, the youngest, asked timidly.

His older brothers looked at him in slight surprise and he hesitated.

"I mean, what if they are-"

"Real?" Viria said with a smile as she turned to face them. She laughed and went to the king's throne at the top of the steps, her long black dress trailing behind her.

"Let the council worry about their silly fairytales," she said as she sat in the throne, her dark eyes glinting cruelly in the dim light. "We need to find the prince first."

Her hand tightened on the chair.


	6. The How

Lily left the warm shore and came back from wherever she had been. Her eyes felt heavy and she couldn't remember falling asleep. But she no longer felt the numbing cold bite of the snow. She felt very…warm.

She opened her eyes slowly and stared at the stone ceiling high above her for a long moment, trying to remember. Was she in a cave? She moved her hands and felt a soft blanket under her and a pillow under her head. The room was filled with warm torchlight. She raised her head and saw that she was in a circular round room made entirely of golden brown stone. There were other beds as well but they were empty. There were wooden chests over flowing with clothes and weapons and in a niche in the wall was a stone statue.

Lily sat up and was surprised that her body was not stiff. She felt well and healthy as if she had slept for five days. She stood carefully from the bed and saw that she was still dressed in her clothes, brown pants and a billowy white shirt and her long dark brown hair was dry. But she did not pay any attention to herself; she went to the niche in the wall and looked at the statue that commanded her attention.

It was a statue of a beast, a great lion with a full main. His eyes, though made of stone, were gentle and wise…just like the lion she had seen before she fell asleep.

Lily's light gray eyes widened as everything suddenly came back to her memory. She spun around, her heart hammering in her chest. She knew this was not the Telmarine castle, she remembered she had fallen asleep in the forest…but where was this?

Her eyes rested on her bed and she saw her weapons next to it. She looked around the chamber and saw that the door was only an entrance covered by a curtain. Not waiting for someone to enter, she went to her bed and pulled on her studded vest and boots.

But as she tied her belt around her waist, she looked down at the bed and the soft blankets; whoever was keeping her, they could have killed her. They seemed to be very kind…

She secured her knives and sword and watched the door carefully as she approached it. She heard noises from the other side, noises that belonged in an armory or a blacksmith's work room…metal clanged and clashed and she heard people talking…and _laughing_. Lily looked at the sounds with an astonished expression. Where was she?

She stood behind the curtain, her hand resting on the soft cloth and she took a deep breath before pulling it slowly aside.

She looked carefully as the curtain revealed a remarkable scene, a scene Lily would never forget.

They were not people. They were creatures; creatures Lily had never seen before.

Her eyes were frozen on them as they passed her doorway. There were beavers and foxes and dogs and great cats like panthers and cheetahs all carrying weapons on their backs and _talking_ to one another. But then there were the creatures that made Lily's heart pound heavily with fear.

There were horses with torsos and heads and arms of a man and great bulls that stood on their hind legs. There were lions with wings and beaks like eagles. And there were men with furry legs and ears of fauns…

When the hall of stone was empty, she followed the strange creatures hesitantly and was led to a great circular chamber. Lily saw that they were all working around a great fire where they were welding and shaping weapons. They were making leather and metal armor and shields…like they were going to battle.

Lily was frightened, more than she had been when she was being chased by the Telmarine soldiers. She looked about the room and saw her escape: an opening was on the other side and she saw…_sunlight_.

After spending hours in the frozen night with nothing but the dim moon to light her way, she wanted nothing more than to stand in the sunlight, to feel its warmth. And she wanted to escape the strange cave, not knowing if these creatures would let her live much longer…they were terrifying.

Before any of them could see her, Lily ran for the door.

She heard roars and shouts from behind her but she did not dare stop: she leapt over mounds of swords and weapons and past the great pit where the fire was and fought the urge to scream when she passed the dark bull at the door.

She ran into the sunlight and she immediately shielded her eyes. The brightness seemed to pierce her body and she waited before looking under her arm.

She expected to see the snow glistening in the bright sunlight, but she did not.

Lily dropped her arm and took in the scene before her.

She was looking at a vast meadow, a plain covered in long grass, completely lush and green, and there were trees surrounding it, all covered with green leaves. It was _spring_. There were no signs of winter or cold; only sun and flowers dancing in the breeze. She was standing at the base of stone steps and as she went up them she saw a small courtyard of broken stone and broken columns. She wondered where the ruins had come from and she looked behind her to look at the cave.

But it wasn't a cave; it was a great mountain of aged stone with arches and pillars. Moss and small trees were growing from the stones' cracks as if the forest was going to swallow it and Lily saw that the sky above it was clear, the brightest blue she had ever seen.

Lily forgot her fear as she looked at the great stone fortress and the green plain. She must be dreaming.

There was a faint whistle from far behind her and she whipped around to see who was approaching. She heard hooves falling and she thought the Telmarine soldiers had found her at last. She spotted the horses far away at the trees line on the other side of the sweeping meadow and saw that they were not soldiers. They were coming out of the forest and riding steadily up the meadow. They were so far away that Lily could not see their faces. She stood still on the courtyard.

There was a blonde haired boy…two girls…and a black haired boy and—

Lily froze as she stared and she blinked again and again to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. She leaned forward, her feet suddenly eager as she watched the riders, one in particular. She felt a feeling deep inside her, a feeling she had not felt in months. Her heart pounded in her chest as she breathed unevenly. She did not need to see his face to know that it was him.

A smile broke across her face and her voice erupted from her lips: "Caspian!"

She saw the dark haired rider's head look up. She ran forward to the edge of the courtyard and yelled again, a beautiful smile lighting her face: "Caspian!"

She thought she saw him smile but his horse was suddenly galloping away from the other four riders, crossing the plain in great strides.

She laughed and her feet were suddenly flying, carrying her down to the vast plain and across the long grass. She couldn't run fast enough though the wind was whipping her hair around her smiling face. She wasn't to the middle of the plain when she saw the horse stop and the young man dismount, running toward her.

She could see his handsome face at last and she ran faster, forgetting everything and seeing only him. His smile was the brightest smile she had ever seen and the sunlight played in his dark hair. She could hear him laughing.

At last she was only feet away and she saw him stop with his arms held wide. She crashed into his armored chest and his arms wrapped tightly around her. She held onto him as if he would disappear and closed her eyes, feeling the warmth she had not felt in so long. He spun around, her legs hanging loosely, and she smiled as she listened to his laugh.

He set her down and she looked at his face, her hand touching his cheek. His hair was longer, wavy and barely brushed his shoulders. His eyes shined darkly from beneath his heavy brow and his face was older, more like a young man's than a boy's. Everything about him was the same and yet slightly different. He was even more handsome than she remembered.

Her smile was disbelieving, "Caspian…you're alive."

His smirk was teasing, "Did you believe otherwise?"

She laughed at his warm voice, happy to see that he was still the same.

She shook her head, her smile falling slightly, "everyone thought you weren't."

"But I am," he said with a smile. "And we are together again."

She smiled at his accented voice and laughed as she threw her arms around his neck again. "I can't believe I found you!"

"Actually, we found you," Caspian said as the other four riders rode up to them.

Lily released Caspian and stepped back, looking at the four riders in slight alarm. They were smiling at her warmly and looked amused by her surprise. They dismounted and she saw that they were wearing clothes that were not Telmarine…two boys and two girls…they looked related too…they seemed vaguely familiar.

Caspian looked from Lily to the four and spoke carefully, "these are…our friends. They rescued you last night when we found you."

"You were half frozen," said the youngest girl with a bright smile. Her accent was not from Narnia or Telmar…

"Edmund thought you were a Telmarine spy," Caspian said with a cunning smile.

The sisters laughed and the dark haired boy's mouth fell open, "well, Peter did too! We were only looking out for Caspian…"

Peter, the blonde boy laughed, "well, good thing you're not or else the centaurs would've locked you up in the How."

Lily's mind was spinning and she shook her head as she tried to understand why these four outsiders knew so much…

Caspian took Lily by the arms and looked into her beautiful eyes, "do you remember the stories my nurse used to tell us about the old Narnia, about the four brothers and sisters that ruled Narnia hundreds of years ago?"

Lily looked at him for a long time before sifting her stare to the four humans behind him. Suddenly she remembered why they seemed so familiar.

She looked back at Caspian's face with wide eyes, her lips smiling in suspicion.

"You don't mean-"

"_They_ are _them_," he said carefully, motioning to the four.

Lily looked at each of them carefully. They seemed ordinary and yet their eyes shined differently, shined with knowledge that she wouldn't know in two lifetimes. She remembered the old stories, stories of two kings and two queens, sisters and brothers who had freed Narnia from the White Witch and brought back Aslan. They looked regal and majestic but they were so _young_…

"Time in their world does not work like ours," Caspian explained, no doubt seeing confusion in her eyes. "I called them…they're here to help us."

Lily looked up at the prince, "help us?"

"Defeat Miraz," The blonde king answered, the oldest of the siblings. "And restore Narnia to the _Narnians_." The young king said this with such conviction and his eyes had slid to Caspian's face, Lily sensed tension between them instantly.

"And to restore the kingdom to its rightful king," interjected the oldest girl, her hazel eyes cutting at her brother.

Timed stopped for a moment and Lily looked back to her childhood friend, seeing him differently than she had before. She had never seen him as a prince, someone who would one day take the throne. He was Caspian, her dearest friend who made her laugh and make her smile. But standing before her now, he suddenly seemed older, no longer a little boy.

His dark eyes smiled down at her and she stared at him in amazement; he was a young man, the rightful King of Narnia.

"And we were hoping you were on our side," the youngest of the siblings asked, looking at Lily with a hesitant smile.

"Whose side would I be on if not Caspian's?" Lily asked curiously, surprised that they thought her an enemy.

"Lily," Caspian said, placing a hand on her lower back and gesturing to the first and oldest sibling, "this is the High King Peter, Queen Susan, King Edmund, the one who thought you were a spy sent to kill me, and Queen Lucy, the one who healed you last night with her elixir."

"How were we supposed to know she wasn't a spy? I was only trying to protect Caspian!" defended the dark haired Edmund, his cheeks reddening. "Can't be too careful…"

Lily couldn't believe anything they were saying; fairytales were myths yesterday and now they were walking around in the sunshine, smiling at her. They were here to help restore Narnia...

Her brows furrowed, her memories coming fast, clouding her thoughts. Her heartbeat sped up, as if she was running across the snowy field again... now she knew she was not dead, not while her brother was still alive and suffering a horrible punishment.

"Leland," she said, her brother's face fixed in her mind. She looked at Caspian, her only hope. "They took Leland and the others."

"There are more of you?" Edmund asked. "We didn't see anyone else in the woods last night."

"They were taken by Miraz," Lily explained. She looked at Caspian carefully, "and Viria."

Caspian stared at her, the danger sinking in as he heard her words.

Lily looked at the Kings and Queens of Old, her eyes glistening with fear. "Your majesties, I need your help."


	7. The Plan

"How long have you been planning to escape?"

Lily shrugged her shoulders, clutching the warm cup in her hands. Queen Lucy had made her "tea", a drink from her world, and it warmed Lily to her bones. They were sitting in a circular room, the Kings and Queens of Old called it the Chamber of the Stone Table; there was a broken table of stone in the middle of the room that had ancient carvings on its sides and paintings and statues on the walls, telling the tale of Aslan's reign in Narnia. Lily stared at them and at the statue of a lion; he was in a niche in the stone wall, his eyes fixed on her. Something about the room scared her, gave her chills even though the tea was warm.

"Leland only told me of his plan after Caspian escaped," Lily said in answer to Peter's question after a long moment. She averted her eyes to Caspian, who was watching her closely.

"When you didn't come back…." Lily's throat tightened but she masked her feelings well. "That's when Leland knew we couldn't stay."

Caspian's voice was deep and for moment his eyes were full of emotion as he looked into her icy eyes. "I had no choice. I did not want to leave you-" He stopped and dropped his gaze, "or Leland. But I had to."

"Why?" Lily asked desperately, forgetting the others in the room. She felt the heartache as fresh as it had felt months ago. Even as she stared at him, her memories brought back the loneliness.

Caspian stepped towards her, his words carefully spoken, trying to make her understand.

"It was Leland who told me to leave. I thought you knew."

Lily's brow furrowed. Why would her brother keep something so important from her…she cried for weeks…

"He couldn't risk the truth getting out," Caspian explained. "He wanted to create chaos, as well as save my life: he wanted the councilmen to turn on Miraz. And he said he would find me once he and you escaped."

"But the councilmen believe what Miraz tells them," Lily pressed. She shook her head, "everyone thinks you're dead."

"And I would be if it weren't for your brother." Caspian looked to the Pevensies, "Leland made me see the truth…that once Miraz's son was born, I had no chance: Miraz would've had me killed by morning.

"Leland and my teacher, Doctor Cornelius, helped me escape and when I went into the woods, I found the Narnians, or rather they found me… I discovered what has really been happening: the Narnians are planning to take back Narnia, to overthrow Miraz. I had to help… it is what is right.

"The Kings and Queens of Old came here when I called them," Caspian held out a white horn. Lily looked at it closely, the white horn bringing back another myth, a part of a story they were told as children.

Caspian nodded as he saw the recognition in her eyes, "this is the magical horn we heard about in stories. And it worked."

"Leland knows nothing about all this," Lily said, still in disbelief. "And I'm willing to say that neither does Miraz."

"It will give us the upper hand," said Peter.

"So you'll help us?" Edmund asked Lily, almost skeptically. "You'd go against your own family?"

Lily looked Edmund in the eye, "the only family I have is locked away in Miraz's dungeon; I want the Telmarines to fall as badly as you do, your majesty."

Edmund's eyebrows raised and he smiled a little.

She told them everything about her father's unwavering loyalty to Miraz and of Miraz's plan to become King. The latter was obvious to everyone except for the means Miraz would take to obtain the throne.

"I don't know what has become of my brother and my friends but I know they are of no use to Miraz…"

"Except to lure you back," Peter stated.

Lily looked at him, her eyes piercing into his as she guessed what the blonde king was thinking. "You are right, King Peter. But I must go back. I will not leave my brother to suffer in prison, not while I'm free to save him."

"And we need him," Caspian added. "Leland knows everything that goes on in that castle. And to defeat Miraz, we'll need his help."

Susan finally spoke after debating, "Peter, we have the resources. If we know Miraz as well as we think, Leland and the others have no chance of surviving the night. There's a window of opportunity and its closing fast. We need more Telmarines on our side to break Miraz."

Peter thought for a moment then looked to Edmund.

The dark haired boy put his palms up, "don't look at me, I only want to plot the rescue plan."

Peter, after a long time of deliberation, seemed to sigh as he caved in, "alright. But this is not the right time for an attack; we have to go unnoticed to get them out. And Caspian cannot be seen. If they think he is dead, then he _is_ dead."

Peter looked at Caspian, "when the moment is right, then you will reveal yourself to the Telmarine people. It's the only thing we have to prove that he is a liar."

Caspian nodded.

Lucy smiled as Peter looked at her; she was the smallest of them and she knew a great deal about hiding and going unnoticed.

"I have an idea," she said, her face lighting up with excitement.

"Of course you do," Susan said with a laugh, shaking her head.

Lucy beamed.

….

"We'll be riding _what_?"

"Hippogryphs! They're much faster than horses."

Lily looked at Edmund; they were both next to each other, hunched over and their arms crisscrossed as they tried to fill in the gaps on the large parchment that covered the table. They had been working for an hour or more, drawing the floors, corridors and rooms of the castle.

"Should I be worried?" she asked the dark haired king.

"All the time," he said with a smirk.

Caspian and Peter were delegating tasks, trying to create the smoothest rescue plan possible. They had gathered around Lily and Edmund to look at the map when Susan and a centaur entered the room, carrying weapons fresh from the armory.

A dwarf, Trumpkin, followed behind the centaur. Trumpkin was one of the first Narnians Caspian had met along with another dwarf, Nikabrik and a badger. They had led Caspian to the Narnians.

Trumpkin secretly liked the Pevensies and Caspian. Nikabrik, however, was more skeptical of them.

"Here," Trumpkin handed Lucy her knife, freshly sharpened and sheathed. He seemed rather uncomfortable and did not meet her eyes, "that should be sharp enough."

Lucy smiled but before she could say anything, the blonde dwarf left the chamber, muttering to himself.

The humans gathered around the maps, pouring over them and suggesting and changing plans, becoming more nervous: the rescue seemed simpler before they say the intricate maps, all the places they should avoid…which was the entire castle.

"Don't be discouraged," Lily said, her eyes bright. "Caspian and I have explored this castle from top to bottom many times without being caught. We will be successful."

Caspian smiled fondly at her.

"There's only one thing we can do at this point," Peter said, exasperated. He met Lily's eyes, "hope it works."

As the light faded outside, the Kings and Queens, Caspian and Lily dressed and armed themselves. Lily sheathed her brother's sword at her side and breathed deeply before stepping out into the entrance chamber. Her hands shook slightly at her side.

"Don't worry," Lucy said with a smile. "You'll bring them back. I'll be watching the skies for you all."

"The skies?" Lily asked but before Lucy said another word, Caspian entered the chamber, his hands tightening his armor. He looked up and when his eyes met Lily's, her breathing jumped. A new fear entered her thoughts; if she lost him again tonight…

Caspian read her face and his brows furrowed. "Lily?"

She didn't answer him and he took her to the side, away from the Pevensies and the Narnians. He gripped her arms and tried to meet her eyes, "What is wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm…just worried about the others." She dropped her eyes, her hand resting on the hilt of her brother's sword.

He lifted her chin and she met his eyes, feeling helpless…a feeling she was not accustomed to.

"Nothing will happen. I won't let anything happen to you."

He spoke so softly and quickly, she wasn't sure of what he had said or of the emotion she saw flash in his eyes.

"It is not me they are after, Caspian."

Caspian moved to contradict her but he suddenly looked down.

"My liege," spoke a voice but Lily did not see anyone. Until she looked down.

She saw a small grey mouse, larger than any mouse she had seen. He was as tall as her knee and he had a gold ring around his ear with a red plum feather, regally falling back behind him. He had a small sword and he crossed himself with it, bowing to Caspian.

"Oh," Caspian said, smiling, "Reepicheep, this is Lily, my friend."

"Ah, Lady Lily," the mouse said with a big smile. His small black eyes were warm and charming and he bowed to her too. "I have heard talks about you and wanted to be formally introduced to Caspian's dear friend."

Caspian smiled, embarrassed.

But Lily enjoyed the mouse, "it's my pleasure to meet you, Reepicheep."

The mouse bowed again then straightened, his nose squinting.

"I must go to my comrades. Your majesties," he sheathed his sword in his belt and scampered away.

"He may be small," Caspian said, "but he's the best warrior here."

"Caspian," Peter called from the How's entrance. "It's time to go."

Caspian met Lily's eyes again and led her to the opening in the stone, "Leland will be with us again. And together we will end all of this."

"It does not just concern you and my brother now." Lily said, concern coloring her face as she saw Lucy across the way. "It concerns everyone now…"

"They chose to help." Caspian took his sword from a faun, tying its sheath around is waist. "They've fought worse."

Lily decided to leave it at that; just like their childhood, Caspian always tried too hard to make her feel better…but it always worked. They followed Edmund, Lucy, Peter and Susan outside. Susan smiled at Lily, her bow in her hands.

"I'll stay close to you; I'd rather not get lost and left behind."

Lily laughed, "as long as you don't accidently shoot me." She motioned to her Telmarine clothing. "Don't confuse me with a target."

Susan smiled widely. They stood on the broken courtyard, staring up into the darkening sky, stars twinkling into view and clouds moving slowly over them.

"Perfect coverage," Peter said approvingly. "They won't see us coming."

"I still don't understand…" Lily said. But just as she spoke, there was an odd noise, a noise of great wings.


	8. The Flight

Five great beasts flew over the How and slowly descended onto the grass in front of the courtyard. Lily could barely make out their figures: they had bodies of a lion and faces and wings of an eagle. Lily instinctively tensed, ready to run, but Caspian quickly took her hand and led her down to them.

"This is Leo," Caspian said quietly, leading her to the leader. She hesitated, seeing the golden eyes of the eagle and the great paws of the lion. He was roughly the same size of a horse…but with greater muscles and great wings that swept the grass beneath him. She began to doubt if she was awake again.

Leo bowed his head to Caspian. The prince took Lily's hand and placed it on the eagle's mane which was warm and soft. She laughed in disbelief as she threaded her fingers through the thick hair.

"Alright," Peter said, "everyone mount. Lily, you lead."

Lily nodded and, feeling confident that Leo would not bury his claws into her, mounted the beast. She was focused on the mission, no longer leaving room in her thoughts for fear or doubt, just like last night when she ran from the castle.

She looked behind her and saw Caspian looking at her.

"After you," he said teasingly.

Leo turned to face the great open plain and when the others fell into line behind him, he stretched his legs and bounded out across the grass. Lily could feel his claws digging into the earth, his muscles rippling through his body and she caught her breath when he leaped into the air.

His great wings stretched out next to her and with one motion, he climbed higher into the air. It was at this moment that Lily grasped what was happening; they were _flying_. The trees became a green blanket and the stars seemed just out of her reach. Her hair flew about her face and she leaned low into the hippogryph's back, fearful of loosening her fingers.

She heard another set of wings and glanced to her left, seeing Susan. The young queen was relaxed and smiling.

"It takes some getting used to," she said over the wind.

"Says the one who screamed when she had her first flight," Edmund yelled from the rear of the fleet.

Susan glared at her younger brother. Lily laughed warmly, taking her mind off the earth that was hundreds of feet below.

They traveled for only a few moments before they could see the outline of the great castle and its city on the other side. The city was connected to the castle by a bridge; the same bridge Caspian and Lily would race on horses. There were no lamps burning in the city, only in the castle corridors that Lily could see through the many windows.

"We need to land on the southern tower," Edmund yelled up to Lily, all humor gone as they flew nearer. "The highest tower."

Lily nodded and gently tugged on Leo's mane but he already knew where he was going; he never spoke but Lily guessed that he could understand them. Lily's stomach flew to her throat as the beast descended quickly, the others following him in a steep line. Lily saw the guard on the tower for a second before watching his body drop, Susan taking him out with one arrow.

Their goal was difficult; not only were they to rescue Leland and the others but to kill as little Telmarines as possible, only if necessary.

"Drop now!" Peter whispered loudly, his voice straining.

Lily looked back, startled by the order. Caspian saw her face and reached out to her.

"Hold on to me," he said, his beast flying closer to hers.

Lily quickly reached out to him and they grasped each other's arms, putting their legs between them and sliding off the Hippogryphs. They fell for only a minute, their feet landing firmly on the stone of the highest tower. Lily faltered and she felt hands steadying her from behind. She turned and saw Susan.

"Come on," the Queen of old said, taking her hand and pulling her to the door.

Lily looked back at Caspian who was following close behind with Peter and Edmund, their swords out.

Lily took the lead with Caspian. Susan stayed close behind with an arrow poised over Lily's shoulder, ready to release. They reached the bottom of the spiraling staircase and the group split; Susan and Lily ran down to the end of the corridor towards Miraz and the councilmen's chambers. Caspian and the Kings of Old went quickly down the next staircase to go deep into the castle to the dungeons. Caspian looked back to see Lily's long hair disappear behind the corner. Worry colored his dark eyes.

Lily was breathing hard, her heart pounding. It was not the running that made her breathe hard but the anxiety building inside her: she never thought she would have to return to this dark place. And if they failed, Miraz would win.

They rounded another corner and entered a corridor hung with deep colored curtains, two guards standing directly in front of them. The guards turned and just as Susan released an arrow aimed at one of the guard's neck, Lily threw a dagger aimed at the other's. The guards fell instantly and lay on the ground, a puddle of blood forming between them. Lily fought not to look at their faces.

Susan kept guard as Lily ran to the end of the corridor to pull the doors shut. She ripped down one of the curtains and tied it around the door handles as tightly as she could. They needed to trap the councilmen and Miraz for two reasons: to ensure they do not see Caspian and to poke fun.

After securing the corridor, they went through the castle, making their way up to the highest level. The plan was to meet at the highest tower again.

Lily and Susan slowed as they walked through a great hall, lit by torches. Lily's eyes were sharp; she had a strange feeling they were not alone.

"What is it," Susan asked, noticing Lily's hesitation.

Lily shook her head, "something is not right…"

They moved to one of the walls, waiting. Lily felt a sudden fear of seeing Miraz. Or worse, her father.

"This way," Lily went towards a door she knew that led to a secret passage.

"Leaving so soon?"

The two girls froze and looked back the way they came, seeing a dark figure. Lily stiffened and her eyes burned with rage at the sight of her stepsister. She could never escape her…

Viria walked towards them slowly, "but you just got here."

Susan glanced at Lily, trying to read her expression. She had her bow raised and pointed at Viria's heart.

"Did you really think those beasts would go unnoticed by the guards? I guess the councilmen were right…"

Viria stopped a few feet before them, her cruel lips smiling.

"I'm so glad you're not dead. Father will be so pleased…and surely Caspian isn't far off?"

Viria took out a long blade and looked at Susan and the arrow aimed at her, "go ahead. Kill me. Either way, you'll never make it out of here. Guards are surrounding the entire castle."

She looked at Lily, "Then we'll be a family again. Well, except minus one member…"

Viria smiled at her, her laugh seeping through her teeth. "I couldn't allow our dear brother to ruin everything Miraz and Alvarez have built…And I can't allow you to ruin it either."

Lily was afraid of her; her eyes seemed wild…desperate.

Then, without warning, Viria swept her arm up and back down, her blade stabbing Lily in the side.

Lily cried out in pain, grabbing Viria's wrist but she had a strong hold on her as she twisted the blade inside her.

"Lily!" Susan yelled, releasing her arrow.

Viria screamed as the arrow pierced her right shoulder. Lily fell to her knees, holding her side, which was slick with blood. All the color drained from her face.

"We have to go!" Susan said, her voice shaking.

Susan pulled Lily to her feet and put her arm around her, leading her to the scret passageway.

Viria's screams pierced their ears and they looked back to her: she had pulled the arrow from her wound and was writhing on the stone floor.

"You will pay for this, dear sister!" she shouted. "And you'll both die before the end!"

Lily felt Susan's pulls but she couldn't take her eyes away from her step sister. Viria's wide deranged eyes pierced Lily's, the deadliest look she had ever seen.

"Tell me where to go," Susan said, distracting Lily from Viria.

Then they heard heavy footsteps: soldiers.

Lily began to walk faster, ignoring the excruciating pain in her body.

They went through the door and Lily led Susan to a nearby staircase. They climbed the stairs as quickly as they could, running from the noise.

The footsteps were growing louder.

"We'll never make it," she said to Susan.

They reached the top of the stair and Lily froze when she saw that it was a room with a door that led to a balcony: a dead end. She had taken the wrong door.

After a moment of hesitation, Lily limped to the balcony. Susan closed the door behind her and pulled a heavy wooden trunk in front of it, hearing the footsteps coming up the staircase.

The night air washed over their faces and cleared Lily's mind. She looked out at the many turrets and balconies and on the battlement farthest away, she saw a familiar group of people.

Lily's heart jumped, "LELAND!"

Her brother turned toward her, his hair blowing around his face. Though he was far away, she could see his smile. But she felt dizzy, the pain was almost too much to bear. But her brother was safe.

"Lily, look!" Susan said, pointing towards the sky.

The hippogryphs were coming, their wings bright in the moonlight.

Lily also saw the soldiers pouring out of doors onto balconies and the courtyard below, crossbows in hand. Viria was shouting from somewhere…

"LILY!" said Leland's distant voice. The hippogryphs were picking them up first, she could see Caspian mounting one and yelling at Leo to fly over to her and Susan.

"CLIMB LILY!"

Lily looked above her, seeing the roof's edge within reach. They had to get higher, out of range of the crossbows.

"Up!" Lily shouted, ignoring the sickening pain in her side as she reached up.

Susan did the same and they struggled to lift themselves onto the roof but once they did, the door below them burst open and soldiers rushed onto the small balcony.

"JUMP!" Susan shouted just as a hippogryph latched onto her arms.

Lily saw Leo below the balcony, flying higher to meet her. Not waiting to see him get shot by a crossbow, Lily ran and jumped off the roof, landing on Leo's back.

The wind was knocked out of her but she felt Leo's great wings move with one motion and saw the guards' shocked faces, scared of the beast.

Leo swooped and gained momentum, fling towards the others who were far ahead and well out of range.

Lily looked down and heard Viria shouting.

"DON'T JUST STARE AT THEM, YOU FOOLS! FIRE!"

Arrows soared into the air in a great wave but none hit Leo; they were among the stars now.

Lily smiled faintly, resting her head on Leo's soft fur.

"Thank you," she breathed.

Leo nodded his head. He flew quickly towards the others, the landscape changing beneath them as they flew over the forest.

Some hippogryphs were carrying two humans. Caspian, Peter , Leland and Susan had their own. They were all looking back at Lily, broad smiles on their faces and exhaustion in their eyes. But Susan's eyes were worried as she watched Lily.

Lily met Susan's eyes and she shook her head. Susan understood that Lily didn't not want to worry the others but she had seen Viria's blade…it was not a wound to take lightly.

Lily sat up, the wind blowing her hair back, and she saw her brother ahead. She smiled and reached out to him, not afraid of how high she was above the ground. She only wanted to touch her brother, to know for sure that he was there.

Leland was smiling broadly, her strong hands and legs tight as he held on to his hippogryph. His beats flew beneath Lily's, so that their wings would not collide, and he reached up and took her hand.

"I knew you'd come back for me," he said.

Lily's eyes watered and she shook her head, "I would never leave you, brother."

"Lily!" Eris called from ahead. She was on a hippogryph with her brother Gabriel who was also smiling at her.

Lily smiled wider, "I'm so happy you are safe."

"Thanks to you!" said Marsonia, riding with her twin and little brother Lukas who seemed to be nervous of their flight.

Genia held onto Lukas tightly but smiled at Lily with ease, "thank you, Lily."

"Now we plan our next move," Peter said. His eyes seemed free of worry now that they were safe but his mind was far ahead. "Our rescue will not go unnoticed."

Leland met the King's eyes, "just what I was thinking."

These words made Lily nervous. Her smile vanished: they were all safe now…and now they had to plan for battle.

Just as her hands tightened on Leo's fur, she felt her wound sting. It was very warm and the pain was growing but she did not want her brother to know. She would find Lucy when they returned…

The ride back was full of stories and laughter. Eris and Gabriel talked with Susan and Edmund, relating to them what had happened the night they tried to escape.

"I couldn't believe my eyes!" Gabriel said with a big smile, looking back at Leland. "This man loves his sister as I love mine. I knew he was desperate but not enough to throw his sister out the window!"

Everyone laughed, Edmund's eyes widened as he watched Leland shrug his shoulders.

Caspian laughed. "Lily forgot to mention that."

"Desperate times, I suppose," Peter said, smiling.

"I'd do it," Edmund stated. A coy smile appeared on his lips.

Peter managed to reach over and push his brother, almost knocking him off his hippogryph.

"And I knew Lily would come back for us," Eris said sweetly. She looked back to her friend, "I knew the whole time-" She saw Lily and her smile fell.

Lily was hunched over, barely breathing.

"Something's wrong," Eris said quickly.

Leland's hippogryph flew closer to Lily's and he touched her back. She hissed in pain.

"Easy," he said, concern in his eyes. He saw her arm curled around her stomach, clutching her left side.

He looked up to Peter, "how far?"

"Just over that ridge," Peter said, taking the lead as his beast's wings beat the air faster.

Caspian flew on the other side of Lily, looking at her side. The blood shinned in the moonlight.

He looked up to Susan, his dark eyes horrified.

"She was stabbed," Susan explained. She looked at Leland, "by your step sister."

"Lucy will heal her," Edmund said hopefully.

Leland's eyes narrowed, "there was no need to tell me who did it."

Soon they reached the How, animals waiting in the courtyard with torches to light their path. The beats landed one by one and Leland did not wait for his to land to jump off its back and turn to Lily. But Caspian was at her side first.

Leland's brow furrowed but he stood by, watching.

Caspian's hand hovered above Lily's back, afraid he would hurt her.

He saw Lily removed her hand and in the torchlight, he saw her side was drenched in crimson. The wound was deep.

Without waiting another moment, Caspian went to the other side of her and put his hand under her knee, his other arm wrapped around her back. He lifted her swiftly and he heard her breath leave her body in a gasp. He carried her inside the How, calling for Lucy.

Gabriel went to Leland's side who looked more relieved now that they were on land. Gabriel read Leland's face.

"You're not worried," he stated.

Leland looked at his friend questioningly.

Gabriel smiled, "usually you're beside yourself when Lily is hurt."

Leland began walking in to the How along with his companions, "she's stronger than I think she is… And I know she's taken care of."

"And _that_ doesn't make you nervous?" Gabriel asked, his eyes hinting.

Leland smiled, "I trust him with my life."


	9. Friends Reunited

Caspian paced outside the door, sweat forming above his brow. His hand fiddled with the sword hanging by his side and he looked up at the curtain-covered doorway every time he heard a sound.

Marsonia came out, holding a bloody shirt.

Caspian looked at the shirt and his face turned white. He looked up at his friend.

Marsonia laughed, "your majesty, stop fussing. She's fine."

Caspian inhaled and he heard a laugh from behind him.

Gabriel and Leland came up to him, placing hands on his shoulders.

"Nervous, Caspian?" Gabriel asked, fighting to hide a smile.

"No," the Prince said hastily. "Not at all."

Gabriel laughed and went to the main hall where Edmund and Peter were. The new comers had adapted to the Narnians easily; they were bonded with a common purpose and desire. And in that, they found friendship. But Lukas remained hesitant around the minotaurs.

Leland smiled at the dark haired boy. He saw the emotion in Caspian's eyes he saw in Lily's.

Leland put his arm around Caspian's shoulders, "thank you, my friend."

Caspian's brow furrowed, "for what, Leland?"

"For finding my sister and watching over her when I could not."

Caspian's face reddened but he looked at the curtain hanging over the doorway.

Leland squeezed his shoulder, "she's strong but if it weren't for you, she would've died in those woods…anything was better than the castle.

"Promise me, Caspian, you'll always watch over her. Especially when I cannot."

Caspian looked into Leland's eyes. He had the same eyes as his father, Alvarez. But these were full of life and love for his sister.

Caspian's voice was sure, "I promise nothing will happen to her, my friend."

Leland smiled and exhaled, his voice lightening, "she missed you terribly."

With that, he clapped the prince on the shoulder and went after Gabriel.

Caspian watched his friend walk away, a slight disbelieving smile on his lips as he looked back to the doorway.

Lucy's angelic face appeared, smiling, "I thought I was out of elixir. I saw it almost empty then when I looked back, the bottle was full. Surely it was Aslan."

"Aslan?" Lily asked as she pushed past the heavy curtain.

Caspian's smile faded. There were many noises in the How but all seemed to cease for a moment. Lily was no longer wearing her armor and Telmarine soldier uniform. She was wearing a gown, it must have belonged to Susan. It was deep blue, like the sky at midnight, and was bordered in gold. The color was striking against her creamy skin. Her hair flowed softly down her back and her eyes shone brightly…she wasn't in pain anymore.

Caspian caught himself staring at her.

Susan bumped Lily's elbow and together the girls giggled. He had a feeling they were laughing at him but he couldn't look away.

Lily looked at him and she smiled.

….

"Have you never heard of Aslan?" Lucy asked Lily, her eyes excited.

Lily shook her head, setting down her fork. They were all gathered in the biggest chamber in the center of the How and a great fire pit roared with flames of a warm fire. Everyone sat at a great table that had been built from wood and stone. Every kind of food and drink was served and all were delicious, all made by the Narnians: berries, stews, pies, bread, and wine.

Every animal and human sat at this table: some humans, like Lukas and Marsonia, were nervous to be eating near these creatures but the Narnians showed nothing but hospitality and kindness. Lily was fond of the fauns.

The Narnians had their own difficult time with accepting Caspian as their rightful King but after observing him and his ways, they grew to trust him. Especially since the Narnians trusted and loved the Pevensies; if the Kings and Queens of Old trusted Caspian, then so did the Narnians.

When Lucy asked this question, all around her grew quiet and listened carefully, some skeptically some curiously. Aslan had not been in Narnia for 2,000 years, as long as the Pevensies.

Lucy smiled to the faun next to her, "He is difficult to explain."

But Lucy did explain. She told her story, when she first entered Narnia. She told Lily about Mr. Tumnus, the White Witch, and Aslan. She described him as warm and great and as she talked about him, Lily felt a strange feeling; the same feeling she had when she fell asleep in the forest, looking for Caspian…

Lily was enchanted by the story, hanging on Lucy's every word. She was bright for a child.

"Why can't Aslan come back to defeat Miraz?" Lily asked eagerly. "Surely he must know his people are suffering."

Lucy's expression saddened, "I saw him here, when we first got here. But-"

"That's enough Lucy," Peter said from across the table, his eyes solemn. He looked up to Lily's confused face, "we must find another way to defeat Miraz."

Lily met Lucy's eyes and understood that no one believed her.

"He'll never come back," sneered the dark dwarf, Nikabrik, from down the table. Everyone looked at him and stared, their eyes fearful. But what they were fearful of Lily did not know.

"He's deserted us," the dwarf said.

Lily did not like Nikabrik…he was dark and she often saw him sneaking around the How as if he was doing something he shouldn't.

Lucy whispered to Lily, "don't listen to them. He will come back."

Lily's lips smiled softly, "I hope you are right."

Lily glanced at Caspian across the table. He was talking to a faun and a centaur (the centaurs were able to eat at the table too: though it was all floor seating, and they had a difficult time of it, they still managed). The faun and the centaur were relating their hard times within the forest as they had to live their lives in hiding under Miraz's rule. Caspian listened carefully, all his attention focused on the Narnians. His eyes were narrowed, trying to understand all that he was hearing.

Lily admired him. And as she watched him more, she understood more than ever before that he was no longer the boy she knew. The boy had grown into a man.

Lily smiled to herself and looked down at her plate to take another bite of stewed apple.

But her plate was gone.

She froze and looked around and across the table. Then she saw him, Edmund standing behind the faun across from Lily. Edmund had her plate, his wicked eyes bright with laughter.

Lily's eyes narrowed and she couldn't help but praise him with a nod.

"They told me to watch out for you," she said.

Edmund laughed as did the Narnians around them.

"They didn't tell your brother, though," he said.

Lily's eyes brightened too and she crept out of her seat, Edmund running around the end of the table to meet her. Together they walked close to the ground, nearing Peter and Leland, who were in deep conversation.

Edmund and Lily waited behind them, smiling and struggling to control their laughter.

As soon as Peter and Leland looked to the other way, Edmund reached between them and passed their plates to Lily. They went back to their seats and waited, the Narnians entertained by their tricks.

Edmund sat across from Lily, hiding.

"ED!"

Peter's voice echoed over the many conversations and Lily could hear Leland's laughter. The How was filled with laughter and the twittering noises of the Narnians.

Lily laughed and clapped her hands. Edmund smiled down to his brother, like a fox with a rabbit.

"Thanks for the food, Pete."

Susan shook her head, "even in another world he can't behave."

Lily laughed, wiping tears from her eyes.

Caspian shook his head at her, "still playing childish games?"

Lily nodded, "can't be serious all the time. You taught me that."

Caspian smiled widely.

Some fauns began to play music, their instruments hand made from the forest. They had flutes and pipes and drums and made the happiest music Lily had ever heard.

Lucy pulled Lily's hand, "come dance!"

Lily followed her and she pulled Susan, Eris, Marsonia and Genia up to come with them. They danced around the fire in the middle of the chamber, jumping and twirling. Fauns and smaller animals like the deer and foxes joined them and it was the happiest gathering Lily had ever been to. Nothing like the Telmarine feasts.

Caspian moved to the other end of the table where Leland, Gabriel, Peter and Edmund sat. Lukas was with the fauns, playing a flute.

Leland and Gabriel had serious expressions and Caspian sat across from them.

"There isn't much time," Leland said, his voice low. "I'll tell you all I've learned from Alvarez's papers. It's not the best way to gather information but it's the best I could do. I would've done more…but I had to keep my sister safe."

Peter nodded, "tell me everything."

Caspian stared at Peter, feeling jealous. He did not like when Peter spoke that way, as if he were still King.

Leland met Caspian's eyes and thought for a moment.

"There is much to discuss. But not here."

Peter nodded, understanding, "then we will plan in the morning,"

Peter's eyes glanced up at Caspian.


	10. Cair Paravel

"Caspian was staring at you all night," Marsonia said to Lily from across the chamber, her deep voice light as she teased.

Lily threw a pillow at her dark haired friend as the girls laughed.

They were in the girls' chamber, a round room with six small beds, each with a wooden trunk for their things. The stone room was lit with torches and the Narnian carvings in the walls seemed to dance in the flickering shadows casted by them.

"It's true! It's not difficult to see he missed you. After all you spent every day together."

"Until we were separated."

"What?" Lucy asked, her strange accented voice sincere as she watched Lily from her cot. "You were separated?"

Lily sat on her bed, her fingers wrapping themselves in her cream night gown. Her eyes grew sad as she thought, watching the shadows from the torches flicker on her arm..

"They thought I was a bad influence on him, Miraz and my father, Alvarez… he forbade me to see him. We tried sneaking out at night but Viria always caught us and told Miraz…we even tried writing letters."

"I was their messenger," said Eris with a sweet but sad smile for her friend. "That was the only time I've ever seen you cry."

Lily's cheeks turned rosy, the firelight dancing in her eyes, "he was my truest friend. I… I felt lost without him."

"That's terrible," Lucy said as her eyes filled with sadness for her new friend.

"But now they're together again," Eris said sweetly, sitting behind Lily to brush her hair.

"For now," Lily said the words before she could stop herself.

"What do you mean?" Susan asked, her dark brows knitted together.

Lily met her friends' eyes, all staring at her. She felt the loneliness again as she spoke. "Caspian isn't the friend I used to have. Even though he escaped only a few months ago, for me we were a part for much longer…the isolation from him…I hadn't seen him for weeks before he escaped. Seeing him when I woke up here…he's changed. And soon he'll be King…"

"He'll still be Caspian," Susan said, understanding. "He'll just have a crown on his head."

Lily smiled a little; the thought made her want to laugh.

"And you'll be with him," Lucy said with a bright hopeful look in her eyes. "You'll never be separated again."

Susan smiled at Lily, "Viria won't like that at all."

The girls laughed. Lily shook her head, "I think she would've convinced Miraz to make Caspian marry her."

Genia shook her head, "I would've jumped out that window myself if I had to call her my queen."

The room roared with laughter and they talked for most of the night. The Telmarine girls asked Susan and Lucy about their home, where it was and what it was like. Lucy and Susan tried to explain it as best they could but the girls were confused. Instead, they asked them about their time as Queens. They told them about lands outside of Narnia, about their castle at Cair Paravel, the castle by the sea.

Lily liked how Lucy described Cair Paravel; a beautiful city of bright white stone with white flags waving in the breeze, the sea as vast as the sky.

"I want to see Cair Paravel," she said, imagining the sea as they all climbed into bed.

Susan propped on her elbow, her expression sad, "It's no longer there. We found the ruins when we arrived. It was our home…"

Susan smiled as she remembered, seeing things Lily could not imagine.

"Well, it used to be."

Lily's smile faded, "perhaps Caspian can have it rebuilt when he is King."

The words sounded strange, calling Caspian King.

But Susan smiled, "I hope so."

Genia doused the torches except for one. Its soft flame illuminated the sculpture of Aslan in the wall, his figure watching over them as they fell asleep.


	11. Like Brother Like Sister

"Aim higher, Lucy," Susan called from across the plain.

"If I aim any higher, I'll shoot a bird!" Lucy yelled, repositioning her arrow.

Susan laughed, leaning against the dummy the girls had made out of burlap and straw earlier that morning. Along with the Narnians, the girls were practicing battle techniques and learning how to shoot arrows with Susan's help.

Lucy was not much of an archer as she was at knife throwing but Peter wanted her to learn… or rather "relearn".

Lucy released the arrow and struck the side of the dummy.

Susan smiled, "told you to aim higher."

Lucy stuck her tongue out.

Susan laughed, "Eris, you try!"

Lily was standing a few yards away from the girls, watching them. She was dressed in her Telmarine uniform again. She could not practice fighting in a dress like Susan and Lucy. But she left off her armored vest, wearing only her white shirt, green pants and brown boots.

She was also watching the other Narnians, observing their movements and how they communicated with one another. Some could speak, others made noises. She still could not understand how they have gone unnoticed, or that Miraz could keep them at bay for so long. She was not the only one who was used to being controlled by fear…

Fauns made armor, Centaurs made weapons. They were the kindest creatures she had ever met…though she had not met many. She wondered how they could live together with humans if Caspian became king…

Then she remembered she had not seen Caspian or her brother that morning.

"Susan!" Lily shouted, running towards her beautiful friend. Susan fitted so well in this world among the Narnians, her eyes wise beyond her years.

Susan smiled at her, shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight.

"Where are the others, Caspian, Peter and Leland?"

Susan's brows knitted, "I haven't seen them…they weren't at breakfast either."

"Ed said they were going to plan the raid," Lucy yelled, aiming another arrow.

Lily's heart thudded heavily in her chest, "raid?"

Lucy lowered the arrow, looking at her friend and sister with a confused expression, "i did not know what it meant…but I thought you would."

Lily looked at Susan, "the only raid I can think of is on the castle…"

Susan's expression darkened, "we better go find them. Whatever they're planning, they'll try to make us stay here."

Lily understood, her eyes brightening with urgency, "my brother will see to it that I am left behind."

"Convince them all to stay here," Eris said, worry coloring her face. "I escaped once and I am not going back."

Genia and Marsonia had the same expression, holding each other's hand.

Lily nodded, "I understand. But they're not going back without me."

And with that, Susan and Lily ran as fast as their legs could carry them across the grassy plain. They dashed through the How's main entrance, running through the smoke of the blacksmiths' fires. They went to the chamber of the Stone Table where they found their brothers, Caspian, Gabriel, the leader of the Centaurs Glenstorm and his sons, and Reepicheep standing around the broken stone table, maps on the floor and the floor plans of the castle Lily and Edmund had drawn. They were looking to Peter and Caspian who were standing in the middle of the gathering, their backs to the door.

"It's only a matter of time," Peter said. "Miraz's men and war machines are on their way." He paused, "That means those same men aren't protecting his castle."

"What do you propose we do, your majesty?" asked the leader of the centaurs.

Peter and Caspian spoke at the same time and looked at each other. Caspian looked away, embarrassed. Lily then understood that Peter felt it was his right as High King to be in charge…

Peter continued, "Our only hope is to strike them before they strike us."

"Crazy," Caspian said, "no one has taken that castle."

"There's always a first time," Peter challenged, his eyes locking with Caspian's.

"We have the element of surprise," Edmund chimed from his seat on the stone table. "If what Leland says is true then we stand a chance."

"And what would that be?" Lily asked from the doorway.

The men and Narnians looked up and Peter and Caspian turned around. They looked like children who had just been caught.

Leland, however, did not look up; he was hunched over the table, his eyes dark and focused on the castle maps.

Lily shook her head at him, "thought you could keep me in the dark again? Leave me behind?"

Leland sighed and stood tall, meeting Lily's eyes. "This will not be as easy as your rescue mission. Lives may be lost."

"Like yours," Lily said loudly, her voice shaking.

Leland's expression flashed with anger, "We have no choice. They're coming _here_."

"But we have the advantage here!" Caspian said firmly.

Lucy appeared in the doorway too, her eyes filled with curiosity. She had heard Lily's voice and wanted to know what had made her upset.

"If we dig in," Susan said, stepping up to Lily's side, "we could probably hold them off indefinitely."

"Look," said Peter, looking at Caspian. "I appreciate what you've done here, but this isn't a fortress. It's a tomb."

"Yes," Edmund agreed, standing. "And if they're smart, the Telmarines will just wait and starve us out."

"I think you know where I stand, sire," Reepicheep said as he crossed his small sword over his chest.

Caspian looked at his friend, crestfallen.

Peter turned to Glenstorm, "If I get your troops in, can you handle the guards?"

The centaur bowed his head, "or die trying, my liege."

"That's what I'm worried about," Lucy said, stepping into the room.

Everyone turned to look at her and Peter's expression was confused.

"Sorry?" the blonde king asked.

Lucy shrugged her shoulders, "you're all acting like there's only two options: dying here, or dying there."

"I'm not sure you've been listening, Lu."

"No, you're not listening!" she said impatiently.

Peter, taken aback, stared at his little sister.

Her eyes were pained, "or have you forgotten who really defeated the White witch, Peter?"

Everyone was silent, a chill flowing over them. All eyes fell on Peter.

Peter kept his eyes locked with Lucy's but there was something in his she could not read.

His voice was final, "I think we've waited for Aslan long enough."

Lucy, upset, left the chamber.

There was a long silence, no one knowing what to say. But Lily had too many questions and anger to stay silent.

"How long have you known?" she asked, looking at Leland.

He leaned on the broken table, "since Caspian left."

"And now we're going _back_."

Leland heaved a sigh, "_we_ are. _You_ are staying here."

Lily froze, staring at her brother.

Gabriel closed his eyes, sensing the eruption of emotion that would occur.

Lily looked to Caspian but he kept his gaze away from her.

"You agree with him?"

Caspian chose his words carefully, "you will be safer here. And Leland…believes you will be a distraction."

Lily's cheeks reddened but she tried to push past her embarrassment. "I will not be left behind!"

"It is not up for discussion!" Leland roared.

The Narnians watched nervously but they sensed the love that was beneath the yelling.

"Viria almost killed you; I can't be by your side to protect you!"

Lily, without thinking anymore, leaned over, drew the knife from her boot, reared her arm back, and whipped it forward. It soared from her hand and flew across the room in a straight line for the torch behind Leland's shoulder. It landed with a "thud" in the wood, the blade piercing it through.

Edmund laughed in disbelief and Susan stared at Lily, impressed and pleased. Caspian's lips slightly pulled into a smirk; he had taught her that trick.

But Leland was furious. His dark eyes bore into Lily's but she knew she had won.

"I won't need any protection."

"Don't fight it," Peter said to Leland, casting an exasperated look at Susan. "They always win."


	12. Lily's Fear

They planned all day. They did not stop for meals. They knew the risk of this mission and what it could mean for the Narnians, if they were successful or if they failed.

Lily accepted that it was inevitable and that no amount of words or emotion could prevent it or her brother's force. He knew much more than she realized. And it frightened her.

"They're building a bridge?" she asked quietly, becoming more disheartened with every question she asked. Her brother had the answers and was blunt, holding back nothing. But it only raised other questions, some she was afraid to ask.

"How could they hide something like that so easily?"

"Money," Leland said. His tone was hateful, clearly disgusted with what he knew. "He paid off the councilmen that wanted to vote against the bridge. And those that didn't take the bribe were executed. No one is willing to stand up against him. He has control of the council and the generals. And now that they've seen the Narnians – the flying beasts – they will be more willing to believe his lies."

"What has he said about the Narnians?" Caspian asked.

"That they were not myths. And that they kidnapped you. He needed a reason to sway the council to approve his attack – to wipe out the Narnians completely. What he was planning after that, I do not know."

Leland laughed, looking up at Peter, "Alvarez was never good at keeping secret papers locked up."

Lily, Gabriel, Eris and the Pevensies were gathered around Leland, some sitting on the stone table, others standing with their arms crossed; they were wound to tight to sit and relax.

"And now they will be here, right outside…" lily's thoughts drifted, imagining Telmarine soldiers marching through the woods and over the raging River.

"What if we destroy it?" asked Eris. "That would buy us some time."

Leland shook his head, "it's too strong. I've seen it. It would take more than axes to destroy it."

Lily looked at her brother sadly.

Leland met her gaze, "I'm sorry. For keeping these things from you. I did it for your safety as well as the good of the kingdom. If they found out that you knew too much as well…none of us may be here. My life is the only life worth risking."

"So says the one who threw her out a window," smirked Edmund.

Lily smiled and pushed the dark haired boy playfully.

Leland laughed, "it worked, did it not? And now you know everything."

But his eyes glanced nervously to Caspian, as if afraid his lie was not convincing.

But no one took notice of this.

"Well," Peter began, walking around the room as he thought. "We have the plan: Susan, Caspian and I will rescue his Professor and open the gate. Edmund will stand sentinel on the northwest tower and will signal the troops when the gate is down. Leland and Lily will mark the quickest path from the city gates to the castle bridge. And once the troops are in, be mindful of crossbows from the battlements and take the castle."

They nodded in agreement but Caspian was still, staring at the floor. He had to fight for Doctor Cornelius' rescue because he nor the Pevensies would be there if it had not been for him. But he could not win the battle to stay at the How.

"Their armor is flawed at the neck," Leland pointed out, looking at the drawing Edmund had drawn of the Telmarine soldier. "And they're not the brightest stars in the night."

They laughed, their moods lightening.

Leland stood for the first time in three hours. He had pulled his long dark hair back and a light sheen of sweat was on his brow. His dark eyes were tired.

He looks so old, thought Lily.

"We need to leave as soon as possible so we will have the night to cover us."

Peter nodded, "tell Glenstorm to prepare his troops."

….

Lily walked quickly through the forest, seeking solitude for as long as she could before preparing for the journey. She had to breathe, to get away. She wanted to yell at Leland but she knew it would be out of fear. She needed to focus her thoughts on the raid.

Fallen leaves crunched under her boots, her strides taking her deep into the cover of the tall trees. The air was cool and I cleared her mind. Her long hair caught on some branches but she fought her way through, not knowing where her feet would take her. But it was much more pleasant to wander through the woods without snow and icy piercing your skin.

She saw and opening and to her surprise, she had found a cliff. She stepped out of the safety of the trees slowly, not knowing what may see her. But it was breathtaking.

The cliff was sudden, falling hundreds of feet below. It over looked the forests and the river that went off to the right, the mountains to the left where they grew smaller, and far away at the horizon she saw the sea.

She felt very exposed out on the small rocky cliff but the view held her captive and she stared at it: the massive sky and the many colors of the trees and the sea…

She heard cracks of twigs behind her and her breath caught in her throat, wondering who had followed her.

"Not thinking of jumping, are you?" he teased.

She could hear the smile in his voice.

"Am I that easy to read?"

His voice was closer, "you are to me."

She turned to look at him. Caspian was twirling a leaf between his fingers, his brown eyes looking at her innocently.

"I know that you are angry with me," he said carefully, his voice like a purr.

She dropped her eyes and crossed her arms, something she rarely did.

"I do not like being lied to. Especially by Leland…and you."

He stepped up to her side and she noticed that he had grown taller; her eyes were at the level of his shoulder. He had dressed in his uniform and armored vest, a green cape hanging down his back. His sword was in its sheath and at the sight of it, she inhaled deeply, meeting his eyes briefly before looking out to the sea.

"I did not know how much Leland knew either. But what I did know…I did not want you to worry."

"And having me think you were dead is better?"

Her words took him by surprise, she could tell by the long pause that followed. She wondered if she had given away too much…she was never good at expressing her feelings…but what feelings were there to express?

"I … didn't know…" he said slowly.

Even though she was angry, his voice was still the most comforting thing to her now. It was soft, his Telmarine accent made his words gentle and warm.

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts, "you are my dearest friend. And…"

She took a deep breath, sighing. She felt frustrated. Why was she talking like this? They never talked this way…Her heart was beating fast.

It was then that she understood why.

….

Caspian watched her for a moment, reading the emotions that were revealed in her eyes only to disappear again. He understood her almost as well as Leland did. Or he thought he did. She used to be easy to read…now he looked at her and saw a young woman hiding her emotions. At least she did with him. What was she hiding?

"I never meant hurt you," he finally said.

She turned her head towards him, staring at the ground. She heard him and her eyes flickered as she thought. He began to get frustrated.

He smiled, laughing once without humor, "We never used to be like this."

She looked at him, reading his eyes.

He continued. "I…it was much easier when we were children…to say what's on our minds. Even before we were separated."

Lily's cheeks glowed, like soft roses on her skin.

"I am sorry," she said. "I'm afraid of what is going to happen tonight…"

Caspian understood now: she never liked admitting her fear. But he sensed her distance, even in that moment. She did not look at him. He could not understand the desire in his heart to say things he had never considered saying to her…at least not out loud.

"Every time we keep going back, every time I walk through that castle now…" she waited and he could see the hurt in her eyes. She looked out to the horizon again, no doubt looking to the sea. Her body was graceful in this place, the sun shining gently on her face and long dark hair. But her fear was tangible, as if she saw her greatest fear before her.

"I fear one of us won't come back out."


	13. Eris

Everything was prepared and waiting in the broken courtyard; the Narnians were dressed for battle and ready for the journey and the horses waited for the humans who were gathered at the door.

Eris had tears in her eyes, her light brown hair blowing in the breeze. The day was still young and it would be dark by the time the Narnian warriors reached the Telmarine castle. She watched her brother and her friends as they sheathed swords, hid knives in their boots, and filled quivers with arrows. She had been upset ever since Gabriel had told her they were going back.

"Why must you do this?" she asked as she sat on her bed with tears in her eyes. Marsonia and Genia sat on the bed across from her, their expressions solemn.

Gabriel kneeled before Eris, his light hazel eyes filled with hurt, "because it is my duty to do what is right. For my friends, for you. Understand, my sweet sister, that as long as Miraz is alive, we will never have peace."

She understood, and those were the words she repeated to herself as she watched them prepare to leave. She watched Lily, tying her gauntlets tight around her arms. Her dear friend; she would not be strong enough to let her brother go if it had not been for Lily's kind words.

Eris felt selfish for not going with them. But there were too many bad memories and risks at stake…and she was not a fighter. She did not have the soul of a warrior. She did not want Gabriel to worry about her.

They were beginning to mount their horses and Gabriel approached her at the doorway. Tears streamed down her face but she managed a smile.

"I will return," he said with a hopeful smile. "Do not worry."

He placed his hand on her cheek and she held it to her face. He kissed her forehead and turned to mount his horse.

Eris looked to the small queen standing in the courtyard next to the dwarf Trumpkin. Eris wondered how Lucy could be smiling, so calm. She was used to going off to battle with her siblings. It must not be difficult for her to be hopeful.

The others looked back at her: Lily smiled at her and she could not control the tears that flowed freely down her cheeks. Caspian was watching Lily and Eris knew nothing would happen to her. She had someone to watch over her. She saw Leland and Gabriel exchange a laugh, their faces bright for a moment with their broad smiles and she felt a little relief enter her heart.

Each of their faces was heavy with worry as they rode out of the courtyard and down the sloping plain. Their party began to gallop, the centaurs, minotaur, fauns, and other fast animals kept pace with them easily and soon they were gone within the trees.

Eris stayed at the door.


	14. A Secret Revealed

The journey seemed long but the riders took the lead; Edmund went ahead of the party to scout the woods and Peter and Caspian led the party, sometimes disagreeing with which path they should take. Caspian was confident in his knowledge of the woods but with Peter's stubbornness against him, he often gave in.

Susan glared at Peter.

Lily rode next to Leland and Susan. Leland asked Susan questions about her past life in Narnia, questions Lily already knew the answers to. They actually exchanged laughs and jokes, their hearts relieved on the heavy burden of the night that lay before them.

The woods were quiet, not a sound from a bird was heard and the trees were strangely still. Once they reached the edge of the woods, the hippogryphs would take them to the castle.

The light began to fade from the sky as their horses trudged onward. Lily often reached down to pat her neck. She cooed her to rest when she stumbled on the rocky terrain when they planned to go down the mountain side, a difficult path for the horses. But Lily discovered she was trying to calm herself as well. She caught herself thinking about the bad outcomes and had to take a deep breath, stopping her doubts.

The fauns that walked next to her, with their handsome faces and features, smiled and nodded to her, reassuring her to stay calm. As Leland told her, if you panic then they will win over you.

The trees began to thin and soon Lily could see the sky through the spider web branches. She saw faint stars, twinkling. They reminded her of the night she walked through the same trees, the only light to give her comfort.

They reached the base of the mountain and went deeper into the trees, heading south towards the tree line. Lily pointed out the plain that separated the woods from the castle to Susan; they could see it far off in the distance through the trees. The party stopped just before they neared the tree line.

Peter looked back to everyone, the horses huffing impatiently. They sensed the tension of the actions they were about to perform. They gathered in a circle with Glenstorm and his sons. They spoke quietly.

"If the hippogryphs take flight from here," Peter began, having thought the plan over and over as they traveled. "The sentinels will see them; no doubt they've been ordered to keep a look out for them."

"You need a distraction," Gabriel said bluntly.

Peter looked him in the eye, seeming unhappy with the decision.

"It's the only chance Edmund has of getting to the northwest tower and for Susan to take out as many tower guards as she can."

"I'll do it." Lily said immediately.

"No," Caspian said just as fast.

Lily met his eyes and Caspian seemed embarrassed of his outburst but meant it. She stared at him.

Leland closed his eyes, exasperated. "How did I know it would be you to volunteer?"

Lily glared at Leland, "I don't know what you mean, dear brother: you're going with me."

Leland smiled and laughed, reaching over and clapping his sister on the shoulder, "You are right; I forgot we were a pair in this mission. Let the fun begin."

"You will ride straight across the plain, verging right as you go towards the city. There you will go to the gates. If there's a guard, Susan will take him out. But your goal is to draw the towers' attention."

"There must be another way," Caspian said, his voice urgent.

"There's no time," Peter pressed. He turned back to Lily and Leland, "can you do it?"

"With all the speed this beast will permit," Leland pledged. He looked to Lily, "stay as close as you can to me and swerve your horse when we get closer in case we get in their crossbow range."

Lily nodded. She looked to Caspian and smiled a little. She understood his worry and when he looked at her, she could see the anxiety in his eyes. She remembered earlier on the cliff and the realization she had, the feelings she felt. But she pushed them aside. She couldn't afford to think of him. But she felt fear clasp onto her own heart when she tore her gaze away from him.

Leland dismounted and removed the weapons his horse had been carrying, lightening the load as much as he could.

"Ready, Lily?"

She looked up to her brother, trying not to show the shake in her hands. She nodded briskly.

Leland's horse joined hers and he reached over and squeezed her hand.

"Don't wander. We stay together. We'll make it back out."

Lily nodded again, her tongue too dry to speak.

Peter nodded to Leland, "whenever you're ready."

Leland grasped the reins and Lily followed suit. They kicked their horses urgently and the beasts flew out of the cover of the trees and onto the plain. There were no clouds this night and the moon was beginning to rise. There was nowhere to hide.

Lily's mind panicked when they were in the open; her eyes darted everywhere, trying to find refuge but the land was flat and merciless. They had nowhere to go but the city now.

The hooves thudded powerfully against the earth, the horses' legs pumping as hard as they could. Lily's hair whipped behind her, the air washing over her pale face, and she caught herself pushing the horse to go faster.

She thought of Eris. She thought of the Narnians. She thought of everyone that depended on them and their success. She thought of Caspian…his freedom also was at stake. She took a deep breath and when Leland looked back at her, his hair flowing around his handsome face, she felt calmer. She regained focus.

Lily rode close behind her brother and as they neared the castle, they switched their paths regularly. Lily thought she heard shouts but she didn't look up to see if guards were running along the battlements. She did, however, see a shadow fly across the ground in front of them. Edmund and Susan were high above them.

Leland pulled the reins, his horse veering right towards the city. The city was raised on rocky terrain, level with the castle. The small city was asleep, all the lights except the street lamps were out and they had to ride around the rocky base to the sloping path that led up to the city gates.

The ground turned from grass to rock as they entered a stone maze of sharp cliffs and boulders, weaving up to the entrance. They were covered in the shadow cast by the mountain next to the city.

Lily saw Susan above, aiming at something ahead of them. They galloped up the sloping stone up to the gate. Two bodies lay in front of the doors, dead. There were also two small towers on either side of the arched entry and the windows were empty. Leland rode up to the great wooden door and dismounted. He pushed against the doors and they slowly creaked open. Lily held the reins of his horse, watching him restlessly. He mounted again once the doors were wide open and together they rode across the bridge and into the quiet city. The hooves on the stone cobble streets echoed off the small tan buildings loudly.

Lily remembered the days her and Caspian used to race horses through the city. That was how she knew it so well. Their horses weaved in and out, tracing out the easiest path for the warriors.

Leland's horse came to a stop in the shadow of a house.

"We must douse the lamps that are not the path so the Narnians will find their way."

Lily nodded and they separated. They went through the small city, up and down streets. Lily went to each lamp that was not a part of the path, stood as high as she could on her horse, and blew out the lamps. She felt breathless.

She passed many friendly doors, their blue and yellow paint fading. She remembered the flowers that once decorated the windows. She knew hundreds of people lived here but in the quiet of the night, it was like a ghost town.

She retraced her paths, making sure she blew out the right lamps. She pushed her horse to gallop as fast as she could up the sloping streets through the sleeping city. She saw her brother waiting for her and he joined her in the gallop across the long narrow bridge that led to the castle.

Below them, hundreds of feet below, were sharp embankments of rock and Lily dared not to look down as their horses flew across. Stone turned to wood as the bridge split in two parts. They galloped across the wood and saw a strange shadow cast over their path. When they looked, they saw the gate was still down.

The horses skidded to a stop and they stared at the iron bars with wide eyes.

"Oh no…" Lily said, looking over her shoulder back to the city.

Leland's eyes darted from the iron gate to over the bridge wall, to the base rocks of the castle. His eyes were wild, desperate, thinking…

"There is a drain," he said, his mind whirling as he tried to think of a plan.

"A drain?" Lily asked loudly, trying to get her brother's attention. She thought he was going mad. "Leland? What drain?"

"They won't get here in time for the Narnians," he said as he looked out to the forest across the plain. "Edmund will give the signal soon…there cannot be a delay," he said, meeting her eyes. "Wait here, I'll find you inside."

He whipped his horse's neck around and galloped back down the bridge and disappeared into the dark city.

Lily stared at him in shock. But all she could do was wait.

….

"You don't have time," Peter said with exasperation, staring at Caspian in disbelief. "You need to get the gate open."

Caspian turned on Peter, his dark eyes fixed with determination. "You wouldn't be here without him. And neither would I."

They were in Doctor Cornelius' study which had been over turned. His books were ripped and papers were scattered everywhere. Caspian knew he had been imprisoned.

"You and I will deal with Miraz," Susan said.

Peter sighed and turned to the door with Susan behind him. Susan gave Caspian a nod before disappearing.

Caspian ran the other direction, down corridors and spiraling staircases, down to the dungeons. As he went deeper into the castle, it grew darker and colder, the same it had been when they had rescued Leland and the others. He had his sword drawn and he grew more apprehensive as he descended the stairs to the deep dungeons: there were no guards.

Until he saw the dungeon guard, asleep while standing against the wall. Caspian saw the dungeon keys hanging on his belt. Without hesitating, he lunged at him with his sword, striking him in the stomach. Caspian had killed before and was not in favor of it, but he thought of his friends and Doctor Cornelius and that enabled him to do what he thought was necessary.

The guard, stunned and staring at Caspian with blank eyes, fell to the ground. Caspian quickly unhooked the keys from his belt and went to the bared door and unlocked it. The door opened with a loud creak.

He entered the dungeon chamber, a low ceiling wide room with no light. The bars of the cells could not be made out in the dark and he heard water dripping through the cracks in the stone above him.

Caspian had not spent much time in the dungeons but he remembered he had gotten lost in them when he was young. The chamber served as the base of the castle and seemed to go on forever in the damp darkness. Miraz had put many innocent men, including his own councilmen in its cells.

Caspian squinted, feeling along the cell bars as he walked. He held his sword steady in his hands and whirled around when he heard someone behind him curse.

It was Leland; he had run into one of the cell walls. He rubbed his head and Caspian lowered his sword.

"Leland," Caspian said, surprised.

Leland was dripping wet: his hair was splattered across his forehead and neck and his shirt was soaked to his skin. Caspian could see his eyes glinting in the dark.

"The gate," Leland gasped, water droplets hanging from his eyelashes and nose. "Lily is waiting at the gate. The warriors will be here soon. I came to help."

"Why are you soaked," Caspian said as he touched Leland's sleeve.

"I came in through the drain at the base of the foundation," he answered, still panting. "Where are Peter and Susan?"

"They're opening the gate," Caspian began walking back down the cell aisle. "I'm rescuing the professor."

Leland followed him and they peered through the bars until they saw Doctor Cornelius, leaning against the stone wall sleeping.

Caspian took the keys and unlocked the door, dropping next to his professor. He shook the old man, his face relaxed and lined with wrinkles and age. He was a larger man and he had long gray hair and small round glasses. Caspian had learned the night of his escape that Doctor Cornelius' mother was a dwarf from the mountains; he was a Narnian, seeking to raise the future king of the Telmarines, of Narnia, to save his people.

"Professor," Caspian said in the man's ear.

The professor awoke and looked at Caspian, stunned.

"Five more minutes?" Caspian said with a clever smirk, referring to the night Doctor Cornelius had helped him escape.

"What are you doing here?" the doctor asked. He had an old wizened voice. "I didn't help you escape just so you could break back in!"

"We've been back before now, professor," Leland said with a laugh.

Doctor Cornelius looked at Leland, more surprise appearing in his eyes. "You have to get out before Miraz learns you're here!"

"He's going to learn soon enough," Leland said darkly.

Caspian smiled broadly, an evil glint in his eyes, "we are giving him your cell."

Panic flashed in the professor's eyes and he grabbed Caspian's arm roughly. Caspian questioned his teacher.

Doctor Cornelius' voice was sinister, "don't underestimate Miraz as your father did."

Leland stiffened.

Caspian stared at the professor, his face frozen with shock. He felt the breath leave his lungs; he felt as if he was in icy water, unable to breathe.

"What are you talking about," Caspian choked out the words, shaking.

Doctor Cornelius read the fear in his dear student's eyes. He saw the prince's life unraveling before him. Everything has been a lie.

"I'm sorry," the professor said, ashamed.

Caspian turned to look at Leland, his eyes wild.

Leland looked at his friend in the eye, frowning. His hands were tightly fisted.

Caspian's voice shook, understanding the disturbing expression on his friend's face.

"You knew."

Leland breathed steadily, his voice even, "I meant to tell you. But I couldn't risk it. It wasn't the right time…"

Without a word, Caspian rose and sprinted out of the dungeon, his footsteps echoing on the stairs.


	15. Caspian's Revenge

He could not think of anything else. Rage coursed through his body, pumping his legs to carry him faster. He did not care if twenty guards saw him now. He was consumed.

He flew through the castle, a look of determination in his eyes. He knew Susan and Peter were to deal with Miraz but he could not wait. The anger was too strong, too compelling. He wanted to confront him, to see his face. He wanted to kill him and see his blood spill on the floor where his father used to sleep.

He came to the corridor where the councilmen slept. Miraz's door, the king's door, was at the far end, decorated with long red curtains. Caspian opened the door quietly, his hot breath heavy as his thoughts carried him away to some dark place.

Miraz and his wife, Prunaprismia, slept soundly in their ornate room: curtains hung everywhere, luscious pillows and fur blankets covered the seats of chairs and lounges, portraits of themselves and their new son hung above the wooden canopy bed.

Caspian focused on his uncle. Miraz had black hair, a beard that came to a point at his chin, and dark heavy eyebrows. His skin was bronzed and his nose was like a beak. Caspian lifted his sword, placing it at his uncle's throat.

When the cold blade touched his skin, Miraz woke, his black eyes meeting Caspian's.

A cold smile crept onto Miraz's lips and he laughed quietly.

"Thank goodness," Miraz said slowly, his voice deep and heavily accented. "You're safe."

"Get up," Caspian ordered.

Miraz reached over to his dark haired wife, touching her shoulder. Caspian's aunt awoke, confused, and fright colored her face when she saw the prince.

"Caspian?" she said in disbelief.

"Stay where you are!" he said. His voice shook and he did not know if he could control the rage inside him for much longer.

"What are you doin?" Prunaprismia asked as her eyes darted from Caspian to her husband.

"I think it should be obvious dear," Miraz drawled. "You know, some families might consider this inappropriate behavior."

"That doesn't seem to have stop you!" Caspian hissed, pushing the blade tighter to Miraz's throat.

Prunaprismia held her breath and watched her husband carefully.

"But you are not like me," Miraz whispered darkly, "are you?"

Miraz glanced sideways for a moment, a movement Caspian did not catch, and Prunaprismia slowly reached up to the bed's headboard. Behind it, she wrapped her hand around the hidden crossbow.

"It's sad," Miraz continued, "the first time you've shown any backbone…and it's such a waste."

Caspian glanced over to his aunt on the bed and he tightened his hold on his sword when he saw the crossbow in her hands, poised and aimed at his chest.

"Put the sword down Caspian," she said calmly. "I don't want to do this."

"We don't want you to either," came Susan's voice from the doorway.

Peter and Susan entered the room with their weapons drawn and Prunaprismia switched targets several times, not knowing who to shoot.

Miraz rolled his eyes, exasperation on his face as he put his fists on his hips.

"This used to be a private room," he said, annoyed.

"What are you doin?" Peter asked Caspian in incredulously. "You're supposed to be at the gatehouse!"

"NO!" Caspian shouted harshly, the sword shaking in his hand. His dark eyes glistened but his teeth were barred, his voice vicious, "tonight, for once, I want the truth."

Miraz's eyes narrowed at his nephew.

Caspian moved closer to Miraz, the blade cutting into his throat.

"_Did you kill my father_?"

Caspian's warm accented voice was distorted, hate pronounced in every word. He twisted the blade and blood dripped down Miraz's neck.

Miraz smiled, pleased. "Now we get to it."

Prunaprismia lowed the crossbow a little, staring at her husband, "you said your brother died in his sleep."

Miraz shrugged his shoulders, "that was more or less true."

Susan was growing more anxious, "Caspian this won't make things any better."

Caspian gritted his teeth, the tears in his eyes shining from the moonlight that poured in through the window.

But Miraz kept his eyes locked with Caspian's, capturing him with his words, "we Telmarines would have nothing had we not taken it." He smiled slowly, "your father knew that as well as anyone."

"How could you?" Prunaprismia asked, lowering the crossbow, her dark eyes looking at her husband in disgust.

"For the same reason you will pull that trigger," Miraz replied harshly as he pointed to the weapon in her hands.

"For our son!"

Miraz stepped closer, thrusting his throat into the blade. Caspian involuntarily took a step back.

"Stop!" Prunaprismia yelled, lifting the crossbow.

"Stay right there," Susan threatened, her arrow pointed at the woman.

"You need to make a choice, dear," Miraz said softly. "Do you want our child to be king?"

Caspian's crazed eyes watched Miraz intently as he stepped closer, further into the blade.

"Or do you want him to be like Caspian here?" Miraz flexed his neck, more blood flowing down his neck, "Fatherless!"

"NO!" yelled Prunaprismia.

The crossbow fired, slicing through Caspian's shirt on his shoulder. He dropped his sword and grabbed his arm, his face contorted in pain.

Miraz ran to a secret door behind a curtain and disappeared.


	16. A Sister's Tears

Lily gasped as she heard many different noises at once. Edmund must have signaled Glenstorm because she heard hooves and different noises from the city. She sat on her horse impatiently as she turned her head, looking from the city to the courtyard on the other side of the gate. She thought she heard yelling from inside the castle.

Guards began yelling and she saw some running across the battlements. Then she heard the bell in the bell tower, alerting the soldiers.

Then she saw them: Peter, Susan and Caspian were running out onto the courtyard towards the gate house.

"They're coming!" she shouted to them.

The three of them began pulling at the gate wheel, the chains clanking and pulling against their pulls.

Susan began shaking her head, looking up at Lily on the other side of the gate. "Peter! It's too late. We have to call it off while we still can!"

"No!" Peter shouted, using all his strength to pull on the wooden wheel. "I can still do this! Help me!"

Susan joined them again, frustration in her eyes.

"Exactly who are you doing this for, Peter?"

Peter glanced up at his sister darkly.

Lily ducked her head and rode under the gate, quickly dismounting and drawing her sword. She saw the soldiers on the battlements, coming down the stairs and pouring into the courtyard.

At that moment, the Narnians rushed through the gate, their hooves a sound of great power on the stone.

"FOR NARNIA!" Peter shouted and he, Susan and Caspian rushed towards the guards with their weapons drawn.

Lily went to the closest soldiers, their swords instantly clashing.

Chaos erupted all around them: the Telmarines were terrified at the sight of the beasts and strange creatures and were more scared when the Narnians cried out into the night, yelling as loudly as they could.

Lily did not know where to turn but fought whichever soldier approached her. She stayed by Susan, who was taking out the soldiers on the battlements. Lily told her where to shoot; the generals were higher up in the balconies.

Caspian fought near Peter, both their faces gleaming with sweat, and their swords covered in blood.

Then Lily saw her brother, fighting along with Gabriel who had entered with the Narnians.

High above the chaotic courtyard was Miraz with his generals, watching the battle with amused eyes.

"Signal the archers."

General Glozelle gave the order without hesitation. The archers along the balconies took aim and awaited the general's hand to fall, signaling them to fire.

"Get that gate closed," Miraz said coolly.

The general gave another signal and one soldier at the gate house raised an axe, ready to fall on the thick chord of rope that held the gate fixed above the archway.

Peter saw what was about to happen.

"FALL BACK!" he yelled.

Caspian saw this too and he whistled for his horse. Glenstorm came to Peter and Peter pointed to his sister.

"Go! Get her out of here!"

Susan grabbed Glenstorm's arm and was pulled onto his back.

The soldier in the gate house cut the rope but the minotaur was watching too and ran under the archway, catching the iron gate with his broad shoulders.

"Give the order," Miraz said.

The general dropped his hand and arrows flew, like rain, over the Narnians, falling towards them. Many fell instantly and the Minotaur was struck several times. His cry rang out through the castle.

"Back to the gate! Fall back!"

The Narnians ran to the gateway, ducking their heads as they went under and ran out onto the bridge.

Lily could not find her horse but Caspian grabbed her arm, pulling her up onto the saddle. She held onto him tightly and waited to feel an arrow strike her but they went under the gate, past the wounded minotaur. She looked ahead across the bridge and saw Susan and Peter and some of the Narnians. She looked back only to see the great Minotaur fall to the arrows, the sharp edges of the iron bars cutting into him.

But she saw something else too.

Her eyes widened and her heart seemed to stop. Standing at the gate, his hands gripping the bars, his eyes meeting hers and the horse beneath her took her away across the bridge.

Her voice ripped out of her, stinging her throat.

"LELAND!"

Caspian's head whipped around in time to see Lily slid off the horse, sprinting back down the bridge.

"LELAND!" She yelled again, her voice piercing the night, louder than any man or animal's. Her feet thundered down the bridge and she slammed into the iron gate, her hands tearing at the unforgiving bars.

"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!"

"Lily," Leland said calmly, trying to touch her frantic face. Gabriel was next to him.

Tears filled her eyes and her voice grew hoarse.

"I WON'T LEAVE YOU!"

"Lily-" But Leland knew there was no way to calm her down, not as long as he was trapped behind the gate. He looked at the gap between the gate and the stone beneath it where the minotaur lay dead. There was not enough room for him to slid through under the sharp points of the bars.

He looked at his sister desperately then to the prince that was running after her.

"Caspian!"

Caspian slammed into the gate as well and looked at his friend in panic.

Narnians were all around Leland, all trying to climb the gate, all trying to escape. They all heard the general's voice, commanding more arrows.

"Get her out of here!" he yelled, his voice becoming panicked too. He took hold of Lily's hand, "Lily, listen to me."

"No, no, no," she sobbed, tears flowing down her face.

He reached through the bars and touched her face. Narnians were falling all around him.

"It will be alright," he said, smiling at her.

She held his hand to her face.

"Tell Eris I'm sorry," Gabriel said, his eyes filled with pain.

Lily touched his face through the bars, her sobs chocking her.

Leland's eyes pierced into Caspian's, "remember your promise."

Caspian nodded, his face grave.

"Now go!"

Lily felt hands wrap tightly around her arms but he still pulled at the bars with all her strength, the skin on her palms tearing.

"NO! LELAND!"

Caspian whistled for his horse.

"I WON"T LEAVE YOU!"

"Be strong, Lily," Leland said softly.

Leland drew his sword and Gabriel did the same. Together with the surviving Narnians, ran back into the courtyard, yelling.

"NO!" Lily fought against Caspian's hold but she was pulled up onto his horse. Her wails echoed in his ears as they rode back down the bridge where the others waited. Susan was crying.

"LELAND!"


	17. To Make Things Right

Lucy waited in the broken courtyard outside the How, the sky beginning to soften with the rising sun. She knew they must be near.

Birds began to sing and it was when she was looking to the forest across the field that she saw the company.

"They're back!" she yelled. She yelled it again back to the arched door way and the centaurs, Glenstorm's wife, emerged to welcome home the warriors and to see who had not come home.

Lucy ran to the edge of the courtyard and watched them make their way slowly across the field. They were exhausted, some were injured. Her smile disappeared when she saw how many were missing.

"What happened?" she asked softly as they got closer to her.

"Ask him," Peter said bitterly, glancing at Caspian.

Caspian stopped walking and stared at Peter, "Me?"

Peter stopped and looked back at Caspian, his hazel eyes menacing.

Caspian's anger mounted again, "You could've called it off. There was still time."

"No, there wasn't, thanks to you," Peter sneered. "If you kept to the plan, those soldiers might be alive."

"If you'd stayed here like I suggested, they definitely would be!" Caspian shouted, his words coming out in a rush.

"You called us, remember?"

Caspian's eyes narrowed, "my first mistake."

"No," Peter said. "Your first mistake was thinking you could lead these people."

Peter began to walk away.

"HEY!" Caspian's voice erupted from him.

Peter turned back to him, his face disinterested in what the prince had to say.

Caspian spoke slowly, "I am not the one who abandoned Narnia."

Peter walked closer to him, pointing at him, "you invaded Narnia. You have no more right to lead than Miraz does!"

Caspian pushed past him, walking briskly.

"You, him, your father!"

Caspian stopped dead.

"Narnia's better off without the lot of you."

Caspian yelled, his rage clouding his mind, and before he understood what he was doing, he saw his sword crossed with Peter's.

"Stop it!" Lucy shouted.

Two fauns emerged from the company with Trumpkin in their arms, Reepicheep standing close. The fauns laid the dwarf before Lucy who drew out her elixir. She poured a drop onto the dwarf's lips and soon he stirred.

The blonde dwarf looked up at Lucy and his brow furrowed.

"What are you all standing around for?" he asked, embarrassed.

Lucy laughed a little.

At the entrance of the How, Eris , Marsonia and Genia and Lukas stepped outside, eager to see everyone. But Eris looked nervous as she walked up the courtyard to see them, her hands shaking.

Peter and Caspian looked up to Eris, forgetting their fight and remembering what had happened.

Lily looked up at her friend. She knew Eris would understand at the sight of her face: Lily's eyes were sore from crying, all the color drained from her face. She had been hoping Eris would not see her.

Eris stared at Lily then her eyes searched the company desperately. Everyone looked at her sadly or dropped their gazes.

"No…" Eris said quietly, her lips quivering. She looked to Lily, her eyes pleading. "Where is he?"

Lily stared at her, tears filling her eyes.

Eris shook her head, her face contorting with oncoming sobs.

"Where is Gabriel?"

Lily walked up to where Eris stood, reaching out to her.

"No... NO!"

The moment Lily touched her friend, she crumpled in her arms.

"NO! NO!"

Lily fell with her, on her knees, and stayed still as Eris pulled at her arms and hit her chest, her sobs loud in her ears. Lily stared ahead of her, tears rolling silently down her face as she tried to hold Eris.

Caspian watched Lily and Eris for a moment before dropping his head. He turned to the How and walked inside slowly, Eris' wails fading.

The dark dwarf Nikabrik followed him inside.

….

The chamber was dark, only three torches burned, and the shadows were restless on the rough stone walls. Susan and Lucy slept curled in each other's arms, their faces turned away to the wall, and Marsonia sat quietly in a stone niche, glaring hatefully at the stone Lion above the arched door way. Genia lay in her bed with open eyes, staring at Lily with a saddened expression.

Lily watched Eris silently, her eyes weak and empty. Eris had stopped crying though her face was not as gentle as before. Lily's fingers brushed her light brown hair tenderly in a calm continuous motion and soon Eris's breathing deepened.

Lily looked up from Eris's face for the first time in what seemed to be hours since their return. Her neck was stiff and her skin was cold. She'd almost forgotten where she was.

"Go," Genia said with a small smile as she rose from her bed. Lily watched her and saw that her eyes were weak too though she managed a soft bright expression. She knelt beside Lily and stroked Eris's cheek.

Lily looked up at her, her gray eyes questioning, "There is nowhere else I need to be."

Genia's smile became understanding, "I know it is not here that you are thinking of."

She gently tucked Lily's long dark brown hair behind her ear and brushed her cheek with the back of her hand. She smiled, "Go, she'll be safe with me."

Genia looked down at Eris's peaceful face but Lily could not look at her friend's face again without her heart breaking.

Lily stood, her blue gown falling to her feet, and left the girls' chamber quickly, as if trying to escape the memories of Eris' sobs.

The How was quiet, most of the Narnians were asleep save for the few who were talking in hushed voices in the main Chamber and the centaurs at the entrance. The passageways flickered in the light of the torches and the How seemed to sigh with the gentle breathing of the distraught warriors.

Lily's gray eyes awakened as she walked softly through the passageways. A chilling breeze washed over her as she almost expected to see her brother, walking towards her with open arms and a wondrous smile….

She gasped as if she had emerged from cold water. An ache she had not yet felt bloomed in her chest and she closed her eyes, not wanting to think of what she once expected to see. She rested against the door, covering her mouth to hold in the scream that was trying to get out past her lips. She squeezed her eyes tightly and her breathing hitched over and over again.

She stood there alone in the passageway until she could calm herself. She had to be strong for Eris and the others…

She opened her eyes and looked ahead: she saw a different torch light pouring softly from a doorway. She slowly walked to the opening and peered inside, hiding her face in the shadow of the door.

The chamber was small and circular; home to one bed and a wooden chest, and a grand statue of a Lion was molded into the stone wall, staring down at the Prince who was sitting disheartened on his small cot.

His head was bowed, his soft dark hair covering his face and his hands were toying with a wet cloth. His white shirt was torn at the left shoulder and it was stained with blood.

Lily's breath caught when she saw his wound and she moved away from the door.

"Caspian?" she said quietly.

The prince looked up, his dark eyes flickering in the light, and he looked at her with a strange anxious expression.

"You're hurt," she said almost desperately as she went to his side.

He looked down at his shoulder and his eyes were veiled with disappointment, "it is nothing."

She knelt in front of him and he watched her troubled face as her stunning gray eyes roamed over his wound.

Her fingers hesitated over the bloody cloth, "I should go and get Lucy."

She stood and moved for the door.

Caspian stood quickly, "no."

She turned back to him, her dress sweeping the floor in her wake, and she stood still as she watched the dejected expression reappear on his handsome face.

He looked away from her dark figure and his warm voice was rough, "there are those who need her elixir more than I."

She watched him for a moment, the shadows of the torches washing over his face, and she went back to his side.

He looked up and met her gray eyes, surprised slightly by her gentle expression.

"Then may I?" she asked as she took the wet cloth from his hand.

He did not argue with her but instead sat down on the bed and looked at the floor, not wanting to meet her eyes.

She knelt before him and wet the cloth in the bowl of water next to his bed. Her hands gently pulled the cloth away from his wound, sliding his shirt over his shoulder, and she saw that his smooth warm skin, soft bronze in the light of the torches, was torn. The arrow that had pierced him had created a gash above his shoulder.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at the bloody wound and she glanced up to his face before she placed the cloth over his skin. He winced slightly but he looked away from her, looking up at the lion statue on the opposite wall.

They sat in silence, neither making a sound besides their smooth even breathing. Lily's fingers were soft on his skin though they seemed to burn. She stared at his bare shoulder and oddly, it gave her tranquility: his presence alone was her savior from the painful solitude of mourning.

Her eyes stole glances at him, carefully reading his still expression. He was discouraged, she could not misunderstand that emotion for it was clear as day in his once warm eyes. But something else, something much more compelling, was swimming around in his thoughts. It seemed to trouble him most and was a constant shadow, haunting him. To her, it had the weight of a burden that was pulling him slowly down, deep into a bottomless sea. Though she was curious, she did not say a word.

Caspian's soft voice broke the silence, "I am to blame."

Lily's hands froze and she averted her stunned eyes. His expression was touched with pain and his eyes were full of what could only be hate. She stared at him, her lips parted with surprise.

"What do you mean?" she asked in a desperate whisper, frightened of what he was about to say.

Caspian stared at the stone floor, shaking his head at himself in self loathing, "if I had not gone to Miraz's chamber none of this would have happened-"

Lily's eyes widened and she reached for him, her hand pulling gently at his other arm, trying to pull him away from the thoughts that were darkening his mind. Suddenly she was very fearful of losing him, just as she had been before the raid.

She spoke tenderly as her heart beat achingly in her chest, her clear gray eyes entreating, "Then _you_ might have been the one in Leland's place."

He looked at her, his eyes touched with quiet surprise.

She stared at his face for a long moment, imagining the meaning behind her words. The thought, the false memory, of _Caspian_ behind the bars of that agonizing gate instead of Leland-

Her fingers mechanically twitched around the Prince's arm, reassuring her that he was there before her, mere inches away.

But he looked away from her, ashamed.

She tried to meet his eyes again, wanting to save him from the doubt she saw thriving within him.

"You are not to blame, Caspian."

"Then who is?" he asked darkly.

Lily could only stare at him, wanting to give him an answer but unable to find one. She could see the battle raging in his eyes and she felt trapped: she was in a cage and Caspian was just out of reach. She would have said anything if it meant seeing him smile again...

But before she could speak, Caspian looked away and she dropped her eyes, looking back to his wounded shoulder with a disheartened expression.

Silence fell over them once more and after gently cleaning his torn skin, Lily stretched the cloth over the gash and wrapped it tightly.

"He told me," he said quietly, his accent a part of the dim warmth of the torches.

Lily looked up and saw that his eyes were fixed again on the Lion's Statue.

He took a careful breath, "Leland. He told me about my uncle… and my father."

Lily's brow knitted as she tried to understand the unspoken words that were fighting with in him. What else had Leland known?

Caspian looked down at his hands and they tightened into fists. His voice suddenly dripped with venom.

"Miraz murdered my father."

Lily's eyes grew wide and Caspian's jaw clenched tight as the hate resurfaced. The dark shadow that Lily had seen within him was revealing itself and she suddenly did not wish to see it. But she welcomed it all the same, placing her hand on his wrist, her eyes tender as she watched his handsome face. Everything they had ever known, everything they believed, had changed in that very moment when those words had escaped his lips.

"That is why I went to Miraz's chamber. I had to know the truth." He looked away with guilty eyes, hiding himself from her and the eyes of the statue.

Lily looked at him sadly, her voice as sweet as the cry of a nightingale, "Caspian…"

Her hand hesitated as she reached for his face but with a flicker of disappointment, she dropped her hand.

Caspian's mouth twisted in disgust and he spoke with a hatred that Lily had never heard from him before.

"They will pay for what they have done."

"No," She said quickly, her heart thumping hard in her chest. She moved closer to him out of desperation, her hands on his wrist and knee.

"No, Caspian, don't—don't say that."

"Why not?" he asked harshly.

She could only stare at him, seeing a completely different person before her. He had transformed into what reminded her of what she once feared…

He stood and walked away from her, the torch light bathing over him. He reached down for his Telmarine vest and arm gauntlets and he began dressing, barely wincing as he forced his arm through the vest. He buckled the belts angrily with a stone-like expression and he tied his sword around his waist, his eyes burning.

She watched his strong figure patiently but she longed to run after him, to speak words of understanding, of gentleness… anything that would save him from the blackness that was trying to plague his heart.

He stood still, staring into the flames of the torch next to him, his thoughts far away, "Leland and Gabriel did not die in vain."

She stood and went to his side, standing so close she could feel his warm sweet breath on her face. She read his face, her eyes frantic.

"No, that is what they expect us to do."

"It is what we _should_ do," he retorted. "Leland would feel the same."

"That is where he was _wrong_," she said desperately.

He met her eyes, the same clear gray eyes that had been wet with tears mere hours ago.

As she watched him, she saw something change. A feeling, a thought, rekindled the fire within him that she adored: it shone with determination and strength. The spark returned to his dark smoldering eyes and his expression was suddenly unwavering.

"What would you have me do?" he asked, his rich voice soothing her restless soul as he read her eyes.

She stared up at him, trying to see the thought that had sparked the life within him; he was no longer drowning. The fearful person was gone but something did not seem right. Something in his words made her question him.

But her eyes sparkled gently like the evening stars, "to make things right."

His eyes flickered with an unreadable emotion and after looking over her face once more, he turned away and left his chamber.


	18. The Hag and The Wolf

Caspian walked swiftly and silently through the dark How, glancing over his shoulder to make sure he was alone. He went back to the mural of the Kings and Queens of Old where he had spoken to Nikabrik. His heart beat heavily in his hollow chest: he was eager to know what the dark dwarf was planning.

He waited in the cold stone passageway, glancing up and down it, his dark eyes nervous.

"Are you ready to take control back, boy?" said a dark rough voice.

Caspian turned and saw Nikabrik, his dark hair and beard matted and his black eyes cruel as he smiled.

Caspian did not answer and Nikabrik walked past him, moving further into the passage. Caspian watched him for a moment, something unseen pulling gently at his heart, telling him to turn back. But he ignored it and he followed the dwarf.

Nikabrik led Caspian into the chamber of the Stone Table, the trail of fire ablaze as it circled the great room, emitting its bright light onto the stone murals and carvings on the circular wall. The Stone Table stood broken at the center of a circle of broken columns and beyond a great carving of Aslan stood mighty and true, looking over the chamber.

Caspian paused and he looked about the warm room, his eyes questioning.

"Are you scared off so easily?" Nikabrik asked, his dark eyes glancing up at the carving of Aslan.

Caspian looked up at the Lion and then back to the dwarf, following him.

"Why are we here?" he asked, his accented voice careful.

"You tried one ancient power," the dwarf said as he moved to the platform at the head of the circular room, looking over the Stone Table and the chamber. "It _failed_."

Caspian watched him closely as they stood at the head of the chamber, a great stone column on either side of them.

Nikabrik's voice was quiet as he looked over the Stone Table, "but there is a power greater still." He smiled cruelly, "one that kept even Aslan at bay for near a hundred years."

Caspian looked up from the dwarf and looked out over the chamber, hearing a dark soft rumble that seemed to cut through the silent crackle of the torches.

The rough growl echoed gently and the dark shadows of the flames seemed to grow, engulfing the Chamber. Caspian glanced around anxiously and his hand hesitated before he drew his sword, the metal shimmering sharp in the light.

Caspian looked over the room, holding his sword firmly in his right hand, and he nimbly jumped down the stone steps before him and stood behind the Stone Table, his eyes searching for the creature of the growl.

His voice was protective as his eyes roamed over the shadows, "Who's there?"

He heard a sigh, rough and coarse as coal, and a dark slouching figure emerged from the shadows behind a column to Caspian's right. Caspian turned towards it, his eyes wide as he listened to the raspy sinister voice.

"_I am hunger_," it said slowly, emerging from the shadows.

Caspian saw the creature was cloaked and when it turned its covered head, he saw its snout and sharp teeth. It spoke again.

"_I am thirst_."

Caspian heard a different noise from the other side of the Chamber and though the cloaked creature was slowly moving towards him, his eyes flashed to the other side, not knowing where to aim his sword.

"_I can fast a hundred years_," the creature said as it moved around the Stone Table.

Caspian's eyes were filled with anxious fear as he looked fully on the dark creature.

"…_and not die_."

Caspian glanced to his left and saw another cloaked figure walking towards him. He held his stance, his eyes glancing steadily to either of figures. He listened carefully to the raspy voice though he anxiously waited for the unexpected, his hand tightening around the hilt of his weapon.

He suddenly wondered if Lily.

"_I can lie a hundred nights on the ice…_"

Caspian saw the face of the other figure and saw that it was an old hag with the mouth of a squid: a beak, black and sharp and her sunken eyes were large like a deer's, red and shimmering. Her face was old and wrinkled and her body was hunched over with years.

"…_and not freeze_."

Caspian looked back to the dark figure with question in his eyes, more curious than fearful.

"_I can drink a river of blood and not burst_."

The two creatures moved steadily towards the Prince, though he kept his sword on the coarse creature which he still could not see its face.

Caspian looked back at Nikabrik and the dwarf nodded to him, his lips smiling.

"_Show me…_"

Caspian turned back to the dark creature, his face fearful.

"_Your enemies_!"

The creature growled viciously as he removed his hood, revealing the face of a wolf, his eyes wild and fervent.

Caspian jumped back, his eyes alert, and he held his sword steady as he pointed it at the beast. The prince did not appear frightened; his eyes were careful and curious as he stood firmly before the beast and the hag without a falter. But he felt foolish: he did not know how these creatures were let into the How…so close to his friends.

"_What you hate, so will we_," spoke the hag, her voice lighter than the wolf's, sweet but cunning.

Caspian glanced at the hag as she unveiled her head. She had slick black hair, greasy and tight and her movements were rigid but somehow fluid.

"_No one hates better than us_," the hag said as she looked up at Caspian, her eyes frightening.

Caspian looked back to the beast, his eyes doubting. But as he looked at the dark creatures, his eyes changed as his thoughts drifted into darkness. His eyes shifted between the hag and the wolf. Maybe they could help…

"And you can… guarantee Miraz's death?" he asked carefully.

The hag answered with inflection, bowing to the Prince, "_and more_."

Caspian slowly sheathed his sword as he watched the old hag, new thoughts blooming in his mind, and he looked back at Nikabrik.

The dwarf nodded to the Hag, his cruel smile eager.

The hag looked at the beast, "_let the circle be drawn_."

The beast leaned down and with a long sharp black claw, he began a line in the dirt on the floor and the hag began speaking in a foreign tongue. Caspian watched the beast carefully as the line became a circle, encircling _him_.

The wolf's growling curled his lips as he looked up at the Prince and Caspian did not flinch but watched with a blank expression, doubt growing inside him steadily as the hag continued with her incantations. The wolf circled Caspian and Nikabrik smiled encouragingly and Caspian looked about him, feeling trapped.

The hag stood at the head of the chamber and she pulled from her cloak an intricate metal wand that was crowned with crystal, crystal as clear as ice.

Caspian's eyes widened and narrowed as the hag's chanting became louder and she held the wand strongly with both hands. She shouted the last of her incantations and suddenly drew back the wand and turned around, thrusting it down into the stone step.

Ice grew from the wand, covering the stone around it and it glowed with a cold light. Caspian watched with curiosity as the ice covered the stone and began to form a wall of ice between the columns on either side of the stone platform. He could see his own breath escaping his lips and at his feet, the circle in the dirt glowed like the ice.

The ice grew, the sound of ice burgs drifting echoing in the chamber, and the torch light seemed to dim. The stone arch was now a door of ice and Nikabrik smiled darkly, thrilled.

Dark shadows seemed to move behind the ice and suddenly Caspian saw the figure of a lady, pale and cold within the ice though there was nothing behind the crystal wall. Her eyes were icy blue and her long blonde hair floated about her face as she smiled with pleasure, her eyes steady on the Prince.

Caspian knew who it was, he had heard stories, and suddenly his heart ached: what has he done?

"Wait," he said nervously, shaking his head as he stepped back. "This isn't what I wanted."

But before he could take a step out of the circle, the wolf moved quickly behind the Prince, taking hold of him and forcing his left hand out to reach for the White Witch.

Caspian looked up powerlessly, wanting to turn away.

The Witch smiled deceitfully, her voice as sweet as honey, "one drop of Adam's blood and you free me."

Nikabrik looked up from his loyal bow and the Hag drew a cold black knife.

The Witch's cold eyes were soft, "then I am yours, my king."

The Hag reached for the Prince's hand, the knife held tightly in her right, and Caspian struggled within the tight grasp of the beast.

"No!" he objected.

The hag placed the knife above his hand and then slid it carefully and sure down the center of the Prince's palm, a line of crimson forming quickly above his skin. Caspian watched helplessly as the wolf led him to the top of the circle, his hand forcibly out stretched.

The Ice Queen kissed her hand and slowly reached for the Prince. Her hand took form as it emerged from the ice wall, the ice cracking and sliding off her hand as her fingers appeared, just out of reach.

Caspian's helpless gaze turned slightly into wonder as he watched her hand.

Her eyes looked at him with hunger, seeing his will wavering.

"I can bring back what you have lost," she spoke softly, her lips smiling slightly.

Caspian's eyes widened as he thought of Gabriel… and Leland…

The wolf let go of Caspian slowly and the Prince did not run: he stood still, his hand still reaching for the Witch. He stared at the Ice Queen in wonder.

"I can give you what you desire most," she said so softly that Caspian forgot about everything.

He thought of Lily.

"STOP!"

The White Witch looked up and saw Peter, Edmund and Trumpkin running in from the passageway, their hands at their swords.

Weapons were drawn and the wolf and Nikabrik turned to the intruders with hateful eyes.

Caspian's hand was still outstretched, his expression touched with desperation.

The wolf shed his cloak and jumped onto the Stone Table, his long limbs tense and ready to strike. He leapt over Edmund and growled viciously. Edmund lunged at him and Nikabrik attacked his fellow dwarf, Trumpkin. Peter attacked the hag, her wail echoing in the chamber, and she forced his hand down, causing his sword to drop.

The wolf lunged at Edmund and over turned him but the tip of Edmund's sword caught the beast in the back of his leg and the beast howled with pain.

Just as Nikabrik was about to attack Trumpkin, Lucy appeared in the chamber and attacked the dark dwarf, holding a knife at his throat. Trumpkin looked around for his sword, his blue eyes bewildered, and attacked just as Nikabrik hit the little Queen. Trumpkin stabbed Nikabrik and the dark dwarf fell to his knees.

Peter overthrew the hag, throwing her against a column, and he fell back onto the stone floor. Peter looked up, his blue eyes full of fear as he saw Caspian standing before the White Witch, his unmoving hand still reaching out for hers.

The White Witch looked up nervously at the increasing sound of the fray and she watched as Edmund jumped off a broken column and struck the wolf with his sword. The wolf cried out and fell to the stone floor, his eyes clouding over almost immediately.

"Come on. Come," the Queen said entreatingly and impatiently, reaching out for the Prince.

Caspian stared at her desperately.

Peter stood hastily and rushed at Caspian, pushing him out of the circle. He held his sword up to the Witch, his eyes firm and fierce.

"Get away from him!" he said angrily.

Caspian fell to the floor, his expression pained as his thoughts became unclouded. He felt as if he had emerged from icy water.

The Ice Queen withdrew her hand and looked down at the blonde haired King with a pleasantly surprised face.

Peter looked at her with a firm unyielding expression though his eyes were anxious.

"Peter, dear," the Witch said sweetly. "I've missed you."

She outstretched her hand again, her skin as cold as the ice that clung to it, and Peter watched her silently, his expression falling.

"Come," she said softly, her eyes captivating and sly. "Just one drop."

Peter watched her as she lowered her head, looking at him with a reproachful expression.

"You know you can't do this alone."

There was a pause and Peter's guarded expression faltered as he looked at the Ice Queen. His blue eyes never left her deceitful face as he lowered his sword.

Suddenly there was a sound of metal slicing through the ice and the tip of a sword shown through the wall, stabbing the White Witch.

Peter's brow furrowed as he watched the ice crack; long cuts grew and spread through the wall of enchanted ice and across the Queen's thwarted face. Caspian stood quickly and stood at Peter's side, both watching with staggered eyes.

The Queen tilted her head back, her arms held out, and her shout was quickly silenced by the shattering of the ice gateway: the pieces of the wall fell and slid down the stone steps, melting away as the magic left them.

And standing behind where the wall once stood was Edmund, his eyes shut tight and his sword held aloft. He opened his eyes as the last pieces of the ice were falling from the archway and Peter and Caspian straightened, both looking at him with surprise.

Edmund, with blood in his black hair, looked at his older brother, his black eyes as surprised as his.

"I know. 'You had it sorted'."

Edmund moved away from the ach and Peter and Caspian were left staring at the stone mural of Aslan through the shattered gateway of ice. The Lion's eyes looked at them both in different ways but both felt shame fill their hearts.

They looked at each other, both seeing the remains of the trance in each other's eyes, and then they looked behind them to the chamber entrance.

Standing on the other side of the broken Stone Table was a sight that was colder to Caspian's heart than the ice itself had been.

Lily was standing as still as stone, her wide eyes clear and empty. Her slender lean figure was defenseless and unwilling as she stood there in the soft glow of the torches.

Susan stood at Lily's side, looking at Peter in plain disgust, and her eyes were cold. Hundreds of words rested on her lips but she did not speak.

But Caspian could only see Lily; her beautiful face was pale and he wondered how much she had seen. But it was evident in her blank expression that she had seen enough.

He stared at her with slight pleading in his dark eyes. His heart beat achingly as he watched disappointment slowly dawn over her face. He felt loathing for himself stronger than he had hours ago when he had seen her cradling Eris with tears sparkling in her eyes.

Her eyes were vast like the cold sea and he felt as if she could see into his soul. He felt vulnerable before her and he wanted to shield himself, ashamed of what she would find if she looked within him for too long.

Susan touched Lily's arm and slowly, Lily looked away from Caspian and she walked away. Susan glared at Peter before following Lily into the passageway.

Caspian swallowed carefully and looked at the High King.

Peter met his eyes and they both saw in that instant that they had felt the same pull, the same thoughts had crossed their minds and they had both faltered. Fear and amazement passed between them and in a way, both asked for forgiveness without saying a word.

5


	19. Forgiveness

Caspian let the cool morning breeze wash over him. The sky was gray and an eerie silence hung over the How. He was sitting on an upper level, a balcony of broken stone. Roots and small plants and trees were growing around him through the stone. Even through something has unforgiving and permanent as stone, their roots still found a way to grow.

On the vast field below, Lily was walking. She was dressed in her Telmarine armor again and she was walking towards the forest. He wanted to follow her, to grab her and make her look him in the eyes, to apologize. To see her face…

He sighed and watched her figure grow smaller as she began to run to the tree line. He felt as if he had lost something, something dear to him.

"Why did you never tell me about my father," he asked, his dark eyes tired.

He saw Lily disappear behind the trees.

The professor sat next to him, sighing as he crossed his fingers over his belly.

"My mother," he said carefully, "was a Black Dwarf from the Northern Mountains."

Caspian stared at the forest, listening

"I risked my life all these years so that one day…" Doctor Cornelius looked to the young man's face, his brows furrowed.

"You might be a better king than those before you. Everything I told you, everything I didn't, it was only because I believe in you. You have a chance to become the most noble contradiction in history."

Caspian looked at his teacher, question in his eyes.

"The Telmarine who saved Narnia."

_ …._

_How could you, Peter. You put all of our lives in danger. You know this._

Susan's words echoed in Peter's memory, giving him a headache. His sister hadn't said much to him but the words she did say were not easy to hear. She was right, of course. It was his fault, everything was. He had put everyone in danger. And Caspian…

Peter sighed, looking up at the great stone Lion that was staring down at him as he sat on the floor, leaning against the stone table.

Caspian was only trying to fix things, to do whatever he could to save Narnia. He was desperate like him. As Peter thought about his own actions, he saw that he had been wrong. He is a strong leader and king but it is no longer his role…

As Peter looked into the Lion's stone lifeless eyes, he still felt shame.

Lucy peered around the table, seeing her brother on the ground. She smiled at him when he saw her and she sat next to him. She was always so kind and understanding, not like Susan…

Peter stared at his fingers, his hazel eyes flickering in the flames of the torches.

"You're lucky, you know."

Lucy questioned him, "what do you mean?"

Peter raised his eyes to the Lion, "to have seen him. When we got here." He shook his head, frustrated. His soft English accent was heartfelt as he spoke to the statue, searching for any answer. "I wish he'd just given me some sort of proof."

Lucy's eyebrows rose, her eyes sparkling with wisdom beyond her years.

"Maybe we're the ones who need to prove ourselves to him."


	20. The Telmarines Arrive

Lily listened for the birds but there were none, not a sound came from the trees. It was too quiet. The sunshine began to shine through the branches but she still felt a shiver course through her body.

She had stopped behind a great thick rooted tree. She had not traveled far but once she felt the warning in her heart, she had stopped. She felt discomfort and fear strike her heart and she searched the trees.

Then she saw him, a rider on a black horse…a Telmarine horse.

She turned and pushed her feet off the forest floor as fast as she could. She felt panic seize her body and it gave her the strength to sprint through the trees and back onto the field. She saw the How in all its greatness and wondered how it would survive the battle it was about to face. Her brother had been right; the Telmarines were coming here.

Her feet carried her swiftly across the grass and she darted up to the courtyard and down again through the How entrance. Edmund saw her face and looked at the door, expecting to see the thing that was chasing her. He followed her to the Stone Table.

"Peter!" she said breathlessly.

Edmund and Susan came in behind her, their eyes startled.

Peter and Lucy stood, their figures small in front of the Lion statue.

Lily panted but ignored the sting in her chest, "they're here."

They went up to the upper level onto the balcony. Caspian was standing there, already dressed in his battle armor: thick metal, leather, and chainmail encased his chest and his long sword hung at his side. He met Lily's gaze as she came to his side, hearing the shouting.

Everyone's face turned to stone.

A great army of black emerged from the tree line. Their feet stepped in rhythm like thunder and they had great weapons with them like catapults and great crossbows.

Reepicheep scurried to the space between Peter and Caspian.

"Well, I guess we know what we are to do today."

"Yes we do," Peter said evenly. He looked at Caspian, "We have work to do."

….

"Cakes and kettledrums," Trumpkin said skeptically, his deep voice echoing in the silence. "That's your big plan? Sending a little girl into the darkest parts of the forest? Alone!"

"It's our only chance," Peter stressed.

"And she won't be alone," Susan said calmly over the arguing voices.

Trumpkin's eyes pleaded as he looked at Lucy, his dear little friend.

"Haven't enough of us died already?"

"Nikabrik was my friend too," said the badger, stepping forward. "but he lost hope. Queen Lucy hasn't. And neither have I."

Reepicheep stood high on his toes, crossing his sword over his chest. His eyes were filled with reverence, "for Aslan."

"Then I'm going with you," said the blonde dwarf.

Lucy placed her hand on his shoulder, "no, we need you here."

"We have to hold them off until Lucy and Susan get back," Peter said.

"If I may…" Caspian said quietly from Doctor Cornelius' side. The professor nodded to the prince, encouraging him.

Caspian stood, looking at the faces staring at him. But instead of feeling inferior, he felt confident.

"Miraz may be a tyrant and a murderer…but as king, he is subject to the traditions and expectations of his people."

Lily questioned her friend but he looked at her purposefully.

"There is one in particular that may buy us some time."


	21. The Duel

Caspian approached her slowly as she prepared her horse. They were in the stables underground, a chamber that stretched the length of the How, supported by stone columns and lit with torches. There were many Narnians and their companions among them, preparing for battle. Susan saw Caspian and smiled knowingly. She held his eyes and nodded towards Lily, encouraging him.

Edmund had gone to the Telmarine camp with a white flag to propose the duel to Miraz and his court. They were all awaiting his return.

This underground cavern was where one of their battle plans took place, where a secret passageway would lead the troops to the ground above…

He watched the torchlight flicker over her dark wavy hair. She was taller than he remembered. Though most of his memories were when they were much younger. He felt warmth in his chest, a longing he faintly remembered from his past but was stronger now. She was a young woman, no longer a little girl. She was stunning, like the sun after winter. He was seized by her beauty.

He stood behind her and she turned, looking up at him. She was not surprised by his closeness but her wide eyes searched his as if looking for some sign. He stared down at her, forgetting how to speak.

Her eyes reminded him of the sea.

She opened her mouth, her words chosen carefully, "I know you promised him to protect me…but…" she read his dark warm eyes and he was confused when she looked at him sadly, her eyes longing too…

She looked down at her hands, "You must survive, above everyone else. You hold the future of this kingdom. And-"

"Why are you talking like this?" he asked. He did not like seeing her like this. And he did not like her alluding to the fact that she may not be there when the battle ends…

She was surprised by his question but she smiled. She _smiled_. He had not seen that smile in some time. It touched her eyes and she laughed quietly. He smiled wider in response.

"Too serious?" She asked.

He laughed and they stood there for a moment, smiling at each other.

Edmund came running into the stables, running up to Peter.

"They agreed. Duel, in the courtyard," he said breathlessly. He smiled mischievously, "At first he declined and said it was not a question of bravery and so I replied, 'So you're bravely refusing to fight a swordsman half your age?' What a git."

Everyone laughed, the tension relaxing.

Peter nodded and addressed everyone, "mount!"

Lily looked back to Caspian, "promise me something?"

His smile dropped a little and he nodded. He read her eyes carefully.

"Promise me you will find me when it is over."

He swallowed and his throat felt dry but he nodded again.

"I promise, Lily."

She turned and mounted her horse. She smiled beautifully at him.

"We will be successful this time."

Caspian could not help but smile at the hope in her eyes.

He went to his dark horse and mounted, standing next to Peter's horse. Glenstorm led the company out the side entrance where they entered the bright sunlight that covered everything in its golden warmth. They turned and went to the front of the How. Across the field, the Telmarine army still chanted and marched in place, their heavy footfall deafening.

As the Narnians approached the courtyard, they saw Miraz and his generals waiting for them, dressed in shiny armor.

Peter, Caspian, Edmund and Glenstorm stood opposite of them, the Narnians dispersing among the front of the How in lines. The dwarves and smaller Narnians waited on the upper levels of the How, arrows poised in their bows.

The duel was simple: Peter would duel Miraz to the death and whoever was the victor would decide the fate of the battle. But Peter watched Miraz skeptically, knowing full well he would not keep to his word.

Lily's horse stood behind Caspian's. She saw her father standing behind Miraz, dressed in armor. His dark eyes avoided her and she noticed he looked much older than the last time she had seen him. His hair was now dark gray. Even now, he couldn't look at her.

She looked behind her and saw Eris, Marsonia and Genia and Lukas standing with the archers. After the raid, they were determined to fight in the battle. Eris looked at Miraz with hate in her eyes. Lily nodded to them, hoping they would be alright.

Miraz said something under his breath to his general Glozelle. The General nodded and Lily's eyes narrowed.

She watched the scene unfold on the courtyard:

Edmund helped Peter with his sword, helmet and shield. Miraz had an amused expression on his dark face before he stepped onto the courtyard. Formalities were exchanged as well as terms and conditions of the duel.

"There is still time to surrender," Miraz said with a cold smile.

"Feel free," Peter replied mercilessly.

Miraz studied the blonde boy. "How many more must die for the throne?"

"Just one," Peter said as he lowered the face shield on his helmet.

Miraz lowered his face shield and loud roars of chants and shouts erupted from both armies as the two kings stepped onto the field. Miraz struck first and the duel began.

The swords were sliced through the air with vicious strokes and each sought to kill. The sunlight glinted off their armor and the clashing of metal echoed all around them. Lily watched Miraz's movements: he was skilled but Peter was faster.

The movements were fast and after a few minutes, Peter was on the ground and Miraz stomped on his arm, the arm that was strapped to his shield. There was a sickening crack and Peter yelled out in pain but still rose to attack.

Miraz said breathed heavily and smiled at Peter's pained expression. "Does his majesty need a respite?"

Peter thought for a minute and then saw something out of the corner of his eye: Susan was riding towards them from the forest. Lucy was not with her.

He looked at Miraz, breathing heavily as he hunched over, feeling the pain of his shoulder. "Five minutes?"

"Three!" Miraz hissed.

Peter nodded and both kings went to their corners.

Lily dismounted and went to see what had happened.

Susan's horse came to a stop and she quickly dismounted and went to Peter who had to sit down on a broken column based.

"Lucy?" he asked her urgently.

"She got through," Susan said quickly. She looked at Lily, "is that your father?"

Lily nodded.

"You better get up there," Peter nodded back to the How, to the archers. "Just in case. I don't think the Telmarines will keep their word."

Susan nodded and hugged her brother. He winced and yelled in pain.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly.

"It's all right."

"Be careful," and she turned to join the archers.

"Keep smiling," Edmund whispered to Peter, seeing the disheartened faces on the Narnians.

Peter turned to them and lifted his sword, smiling.

The Narnians smiled at his encouragement and cheered.

But when Peter turned away again, the pain in his shoulder took away his smile.

"I think it's dislocated," he said to Edmund.

Edmund put his hands on Peter's shoulder, trying to maneuver it.

"You know," Peter said, looking at his little brother. "You've always been there, and I never really—AH!"

Edmund snapped his shoulder back into place.

"Save it for later, Pete," he said as he clapped his brother on the shoulder, making him wince.

Peter nodded.

Lily's eyes scanned over the Telmarine army, concern growing in her eyes.

"There's so many of them."

Caspian looked down at her, "don't focus on numbers. It will defeat you before they do."

She thought for a moment then nodded in agreement.

Peter went back out onto the courtyard and the battle commenced. The two kings returned with more aggression and Miraz struck at the young king with all his might.

But Peter was swift. With one blow, Peter stabbed Miraz under the arm, the blade piercing his side.

The Telmarine king fell to his knees, stunned with pain and shock.

Peter withdrew his sword and put it below Miraz's neck.

Miraz breathed heavily but looked at Peter with hateful eyes, "what's the matter boy? Too cowardly to take a life?"

Peter lowered his sword and looked the Telmarine in the eye.

"It is not mine to take."

Peter turned and looked at Caspian, offering him his sword.

Caspian looked at him questioningly, unsure. But he approached Peter and took the sword, staring at Miraz.

Lily watched her friend, wanting to cry out to him, to tell him that there is another way other than death…though Miraz deserved it, Caspian was better than killing.

Caspian placed the sword at the base of Miraz's neck. Everyone was silent.

Miraz smiled maliciously, "Perhaps I was wrong…Maybe you do have the makings of a Telmarine king after all."

Caspian's hands shook: he thought of everything this man had done to him, his family. All the rage he had felt the night before at the castle resurfaced and he lifted the sword, ripping it through the air as he cried out, all his pain and anger bursting inside him.

Lily put her hands to her mouth, not sure if she could watch.

But the sword fell and pierced the stone beneath them. Miraz looked at Caspian with shock in his dark eyes.

Caspian's face was close to the Telmarine King's, looking him straight in the eye.

"Not one like you."

Caspian dropped the sword and stepped away from Miraz, pitying him. "Keep your life. But I am giving the Narnians back their kingdom."

Caspian turned and went to his friends. They smiled at him and Lily ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. There were cheers behind them but she was elated, smiling at her friend whose arms were wrapped tightly around her.

"Your father would be so proud," she said in his ear.

He squeezed her tighter.


	22. The Final Battle

Miraz stood, still unsure of what had happened, and went to his councilmen.

Lord Sopespian bowed his head to the king, a secret in his dark Telmarine eyes, "my King."

Miraz's voice was vicious, "I'll deal with you when this is over."

Lord Sopespian took Miraz by the shoulders, meeting his eyes.

"It is over."

Lord Sopespian took out an arrow, one that belonged to the Narnians that had been recovered from the castle raid, and stabbed his king in the side.

Miraz stared at his comrade in shock, his face shaking with pain, as he sank to the ground. He was dead.

"TREACHERY!" Lord Sopespian shouted.

Lily and Caspian looked up in surprise, their eyes falling on the arrow in Miraz's side.

"THEY SHOT HIM!"

Lord Alvarez put on his helmet silently, his expression never changing, and mounted his horse to ride to his troops.

Peter shouted to the Narnians, "BE READY!"

Edmund cursed, "I knew it!"

Peter looked at Caspian, "GO!"

Caspian and Lily went to their horses and rode to the stables again. The centaurs, fauns, and the big cats waited in the underground caverns. There were at least one hundred strong waiting to attack.

Peter went to the How's entrance where more Narnians emerged with swords and shields. There they waited for the Telmarines' move. Everything was chaotic, yells and shouts piercing everyone's ears.

The Telmarines readied their catapults.

"ARCHERS!" Peter order.

Susan and the Narnians above drew back their arrows and when they heard Peter's voice, they released them, sending a shower upon the Telmarines. But their armor was thick.

Large boulders came hurling at the How and everyone took cover. The boulders smashed the How's outer shell.

The Telmarines began to charge and Peter yelled with all his might to the troops below the earth: "NOW!"

Caspian heard Peter and began to count to ten. Lily was at his side along with Glenstorm and the other Narnians formed a barrier behind him, his strength.

When Caspian reached five, the infantry began to gallop through the dark stables. They were riding towards the columns on the other side. Peter above was counting too, hoping it would work. He ordered the army to move in and the Narnians followed Peter as they galloped towards the advancing Telmarines.

At the same time, the infantry began knocking out the old columns, their stone falling and the ground above quivering from the blow to its support. The ground began to crumble and when the last major support column was knocked out by Glenstorm, the land crumbled and created a great crater in the field, all the Telmarines falling into it as the Narnian army pounced on them. The infantry emerged from the underground into the sunlight.

The Telmarines halted, terrified and confused. The Narnians attacked them with full force. Weapons clashed, shouts and roars erupted like a volcano, growing louder. Lily thrust her sword into a mounted soldier, sending him falling to the ground. She longed to look around to make sure her friends were alright but there were too many soldiers around her, many of them confused by her armor and some recognized her.

The chaotic fighting lasted for what seemed like a day; endless sword clashing and attacking, many falling to the ground, both Telmarine and Narnian alike. Peter called for the Narnians to retreat back to the How but the catapults knocked down the How's entrance. The battle took a bad turn. Lily felt lost in the fray, worried about Caspian, the one who needed to survive above everyone else.

A Telmarine came up behind her and without hesitation, she lunged at him and stabbed him. The length of her blade was immersed in his body and he fell to his knees. But she stared at him for a moment then quickly dropped her sword and removed his helmet.

It was her father, Alvarez.

She stared at him, his dark eyes clouding as he gasped for air. She felt conflicted but as he began to fall, she reached out and lowered his body gently. The war raging around them seemed to fade.

She kneeled next to him and stared down at him, wanting to speak but could not find the words.

His lips shook and he groaned.

She shook her head, looking at him with pity in her eyes.

"How could you?"

He said nothing. For the first time in her life, he was looking at her.

Tears formed in her eyes and she shouted at him, "How could you do the things you did? To me, to Leland-"

"I…" his voice was weak and she waited.

He swallowed, "I…never meant…to hurt you…or your brother…"

Her laugh was dark, angry, "But you did. You killed your own son."

She froze when he shook his head.

Tears filled his eyes, "I was never…a good father…but he is my son…and he is alive."

Lily covered her mouth, crying as she stared at her father.

He reached his hand up to her face, touching her cheek, "Lily…"

But for a moment, she knew he was not speaking her name, but someone else's…

"Forgive me…"

His hand fell and the life disappeared from his eyes.


	23. Aslan's Return

She stared at him, repeating his words in her mind: Leland was alive. But she knew she could not stay here on the ground. She stood up, still shaking.

Then, she heard a strange sound, a groaning from deep in the ground. She turned and looked at the muddy wall of the crater behind her, wondering where—or what—the noise was coming from.

Then it shot out from the earth, too quick for her eyes to see: a root. It was as thick as a tree trunk and long as tall as a tree-

Because it _was_ a tree.

The root was followed by more, all lashing out at the Telmarine soldiers, knocking them from their feet. Lily looked above her and saw _a tree walking_. It stepped over the crater and went to destroy the catapults. The whole forest seemed to be alive, chasing the Telmarines.

The Narnians began to cheer, bright smiles appeared on their faces, and they chased after the Telmarines, driving them into the forest.

Lily quickly mounted her horse to ride after them. She heard Glenstorm shout: "Chase them to the river! To the river!"

Lily rode as fast as her horse would go. The Telmarine infantry was quicker with their fear driving them. The forest flew by and Lily had to weave her way through the roots of the furs, the oaks, and the maples that were walking, taking great strides over the Narnians and sweeping over the Telmarines. Lily's horse was agile and leaped and bounded over fallen soldiers and horses.

They came upon the river and Lily saw the great structure of the bridge, thickly made with tree trunks and spanning the width of the river. She saw Caspian and Peter ahead, waving their swords, and she saw Edmund above on a hippogryph. The Telmarines had stopped at the mouth of the bridge, staring.

Lucy, her small figure, was standing in the middle of the bridge, smiling cleverly as she held her knife.

The Telmarines laughed and Lord Sopespian drew his sword and began to cross the bridge.

Lily held her breath as she saw a Lion, the biggest grandest creature she had ever seen, walk onto the bridge and stand next to Lucy. He had a noble face, kind eyes, but when he opened his mouth she saw long sharp teeth. And a roar, louder than any animal's, exploded from him like thunder and shook everyone.

The Narnians cheered but the battle was not over: the Telmarines charged and the Narnians went to face them in the river rapids. Lily dismounted and went after a Telmarine who was attacking Susan, who was standing in the middle of the river. She drew the knife from her boot and stabbed the soldier, making him fall. She looked up at Susan's smiling face.

But Susan's smile faded as she saw something behind Lily.

Lily turned and saw one of Miraz's general's fighting with Caspian. The general drew back with a knife and stabbed the prince.

"CASPIAN!"

Lily and Susan fought their way through the rushing water, the current strengthening, and Telmarine soldiers got in their way. Lily tried to push past them and soon she could not see him.

She heard a voice: "THE PRINCE IS DEAD!"

She heard the roar of the Lion and cries from the soldiers, all falling to their knees.

Susan pulled on Lily's arm, "Get out of the water!"

Lily pulled against Susan but she dragged her to the nearest bank, across from the Narnians. She could not see Caspian.

Susan held Lily tightly, "Look!"

Lily stopped pulling and watched the river.

The Telmarines began to retreat, some jumped into the water. But the water began to churn strangely and Lily thought she saw a hand, then a face in the water…

A figure formed from the water and grew, taller than the trees, his body swirling. The water's face looked like an old wizened man.

The Water God picked up the bridge, the wood snapping, and the river rushed all around, creating massive waves that wiped out a number of soldiers. The Water God lifted the bridge to his watery face and Lily saw that Lord Sopespian was still mounted on his horse, now inches from the water creature's face.

Lord Sopespian stared at the Water God, screaming as the face bent over him. The face swallowed Lord Sopespian and fell in a great wave over the river, washing away the remnants of the Telmarine bridge.

All was quiet and then loud cheers and cries came from the Narnians: the Telmarines that remained dropped their swords and raised their arms. They were surrendering.

But Lily did not cheer; she looked through the water, searching for Caspian. She saw The Lion and Susan's siblings on the other side, smiling and cheering with the Narnians.

Lily ran into the water, her eyes searching the river banks, the forest, the water.

She felt fear seize her heart.

"CASPIAN!"

The Lion and the Pevensies looked up and saw her frightened face. Lucy smiled at her friend.

"Lily!" Lucy cried.

Lily looked up, her wet hair and clothes hanging on her body and blood stains on her shirt. She was tired and weak, not willing to face another loss.

But she saw a dark haired young man, perfectly healthy and smiling at her as he ran to the river's edge, splashing the water as he came towards her.

She stared at him, a smile forming on her lips, and her body carried her forward, deeper into the water. She reached out to him and he took her hands, pulling her to him in the middle of the river, the water up to their waists. She wrapped her arms around him and he lifted her, swinging her through the water.

The Narnians cheered out to them.

Lily heard Susan laugh behind her and she reached out and embraced her, too. She looked back at Caspian's handsome face.

"But you were stabbed…how…?"

Caspian gestured over his shoulder, smiling, "Lucy."

She smiled and shook her head, "When will you stop dying?"

Caspian smiled.


	24. The Return Home

Together they walked through the water to where Peter, Edmund, and Lucy stood, kneeling in front of the Lion. Every Narnian around them kneeled as well. Eris, the twins and Lukas all knelt too. They had heard of this Lion in myths and Lily could see the same surprise in their eyes: they never knew he actually existed.

Susan and Caspian knelt before the Lion and Lily remained in the water, staring. Being this close to the Lion, she felt a strange warmth.

The Lion spoke, his voice deep and warm, "Rise, kings and queens of Narnia."

The Pevensies rose to their feet but Caspian remained kneeling.

The great Lion smiled down on him, "All of you."

Caspian kept his eyes cast down, "I do not think I am ready."

"It's for that very reason I know you are."

Caspian looked up and met the Lion's eyes and whatever he saw there gave him strength and he rose to his feet.

"Thank you, your majesty."

A small progression came forward before the Lion, a group of Narnian mice, carrying a fallen comrade: Reepicheep.

Lucy rushed forward and held her elixir bottle over the mouse, a drop falling to his lips.

The mouse rose, fully healed and looked up at the great Lion.

"Hail, Aslan!"

Lily looked up to the Lion, hearing his name gave her such strange feelings…she had never seen him before and yet she felt she had known him for her whole life…

"It is an honor to be in…" Reepicheep stopped short, his nose wiggling.

The mouse looked behind him and saw that there was not a tail. He retreated, embarrassed.

"I'm completely out of countenance! I must crave your indulgence for appearing in this unseemly fashion!" He looked up to Lucy, "Perhaps a drop more?"

Lucy looked at the mouse doubtfully, "I don't think it does that…"

Reepicheep thrusted his tiny fist into the air, "You could have a go."

Aslan laughed warmly, "It becomes you well, small one."

Reepicheep removed the feather and gold ring from his ear, "I regret that I must withdraw, for a tail is the honor and glory of a mouse."

"Perhaps you think too much of your honor, friend," Aslan said, a sneaky twinkle in his eyes.

Reepicheep looked up, surprised at the Lion's words, "Well…it's not just the honor. It's also great for balance. And climbing. And grabbing things."

Reepicheep's comrade stepped forward, "May it please Your High Majesty, we will not bear the shame of wearing an honor denied to our chief."

The mice raised their tails and placed their swords at their bases, prepared to cut them off.

Aslan shook his head, his beautiful golden mane waving in the golden sunlight that now lit the river.

"Not for the sake of your dignity, but for the love of your people."

And then a tail grew behind Reepicheep and he looked back, seeing it over his shoulder.

"Look!" he cried, grabbing it and holding it out to admire it, "Thank you, my liege. I will treasure it always. From this day forward it will serve as a great reminder of my huge humility!"

Aslan smiled and then looked at Lily.

She did not notice at first that he was looking at her; she had been staring at him from the moment she saw him on the shore.

His voice was loud but warm, "come forward, Lily, daughter of Eve."

Lily swallowed and walked onto the riverbank. Her friends smiled at her and Edmund winked.

"He's not going to eat you."

Everyone laughed and Lily stuck her tongue out at him.

But once she stood in front of the Lion, all humor vanished and she looked into his eyes. They were golden brown and filled with things she could not understand. He was bigger than a horse and she felt very small in front of him.

"Lucy has told me a great deal about you," he said.

She glanced at Lucy who smiled at her.

"You were with your father when he died.

She nodded and felt the need to confess. "I killed him, your majesty."

Aslan nodded solemnly, "I know. He has lived with a tormented soul for a very long time. In a way, you freed him.

"Did he tell you about your brother?"

Lily nodded, this time tears filled her eyes as she listened again to her father's words in her head. Tears were in her voice as she spoke, "Yes, he did."

Aslan smiled kindly, "And you know now that I speak the truth when I say that your father saved Leland and he now waits for you at the Telmarine castle."

Everyone gasped and Eris looked up, her eyes locked on the Lion.

Aslan looked at the sweet Telmarine girl, smiling, "and Gabriel as well."

Eris could only stare and tears fell down her cheeks. Marsonia and Genia hugged her tightly, crying with smiles on their faces.

Aslan turned back to Lily, "It takes great courage to face your enemies but even more to forgive them."

Lily nodded.

Aslan looked to Lucy, "Now, where is this dear little friend you've told me so much about?"

Trumpkin walked forward sheepishly, daring not to look Aslan in the eye.

But the Lion roared over him, blowing the draw's golden hair back as he coward in front of him.

Lucy smiled, her eyebrows raised, "do you see him now?"

Everyone laughed and the dwarf smiled timidly.

Then Aslan addressed everyone: "Let us return home."


	25. King Caspian X

The journey back to the castle was joyous and filling with laughter and smiles. The Telmarine soldiers had gone ahead to alert the city of the Narnians arrival and while they had been terrified, the people of Telmar welcomed the Lion and his comrades with smiles and flower petals falling from the windows of the houses. There were many people, Telmarines and foreigners alike, and they were all glad to be free of Miraz's rule.

Aslan walked through the entire city with the Pevensies and Lily and Caspian riding on horses behind him. Many cried out to Caspian, elated to see that he was alive and their new king.

A very strange and wonderful thing happened: As Aslan went through the city, the houses and the streets changed. The colors became brighter and the houses turned white, glowing in the sunlight. Flowers grew in the window boxes, banners appeared on the city walls, and the streets' cobblestone paths were washed clean. All of this happened with each step the Lion took. The people followed him and children cried out to him, laughing as they put flowers in his mane.

Aslan paused at the castle bridge and roared. The bridge widened and rose, turning into stairs and the bridge gate disappeared: the castle changed as well and was now closer to the city. It was grander than anything Lily and Caspian had ever seen

Aslan turned to Caspian, "A king should never be separated from his people."

As Lily marveled at the change, she saw two figures emerge from the new castle doors, wide tall wooden doors.

Lily's smile faded and then grew wider as she recognized the two men. She quickly dismounted and ran up the grand staircase, up to the doors. Leland looked around, confused and dazed by the bright sunlight, but once he saw his sister, he ran down to her, his arms open to her.

She crashed into him and he hugged her tightly. Eris was right behind her and jumped onto Gabriel who held her to him, laughing.

The crowd cheered and Lily smiled at her brother, her eyes shining with tears.

Leland pushed her hair out of her face, "I guess he wasn't so bad after all."

She shook her head then hugged him again.

Aslan and the Narnians ascended the stairs and Gabriel and Leland opened the wooden doors wide. They knew who he was: they smiled and bowed their heads.

Aslan walked through the castle, it's dark interior changing to bright white marble and stone, the windows growing and letting the sunshine in. The castle was completely different, big enough to hold the entire city. The crowd followed Aslan as he went through the castle, ridding it of its bad memories and dark shadowy rooms. Gold and red banners hung from the ceilings and balconies and fountains were in the middle of rooms, flowers were everywhere, and great feast tables big enough to hold dozens of people were in the great hall.

Lily smiled as she walked beside Susan, Leland, Eris and Gabriel, Caspian, Peter, Edmund, and Lucy. Everyone felt happier than they ever had been, marveling at their new home.

Aslan stopped in the middle of the great hall, its tall windows bathing everything in sunlight. The white and gold china on the tables gleamed and the banner at the head of the room had a golden Lion on it.

Aslan's voice carried throughout the castle: "Prepare the feast! Prepare the Prince to be crowned! Today is a day of celebration!"

Everyone cheered and quickly went to work: Caspian was carried off by smiling maids and fauns; Lily, Susan and Lucy, Marsonia, Eris and Genia went to run through the castle to search for gowns. The castle was filled with more people than ever before, laughing as they ran into each other and yelling down the corridors.

"This is unbelievable!" Lily shouted as they ran down a wide bright corridor, her boots echoing as her boots hit the new shiny marble floor.

Lucy smiled at her, "Isn't he wonderful!"

The girls went to what used to be Lily's room: it was filled with light and was three times the size it had been. There were trunks filled with dresses and beautiful clothes that Lily had never seen before. They were nothing like the dresses Miraz's wife wore. Lily touched the fabrics and smiled in disbelief.

The girls dressed quickly and they brushed their hair and washed their faces, splashing each other with water and chasing each other around the room and its adjoining chambers.

Everyone readied for the ceremony and the feast to follow, making every kind of food. The Narnians and humans worked together, smiling and welcoming. The two peoples melted together, creating one.

It was late afternoon when everyone finally gathered in the cathedral, the biggest room in the castle, with high arched ceilings and tall windows that covered the walls. Over 300 people fit into this room and all sat together, not separated into sides.

Lily stood at the front on the red carpeted stairs that led up to the golden throne. She held a velvet pillow that held an ornate golden crown with jewels embedded in it. She smiled down at her brother who was standing with Gabriel and her friends at the first pew.

Behind the throne were large painted windows, casting bright colors onto the floor. There was not a dark space to be found anywhere in the castle. And Lily loved it.

Aslan stood at the top of the stairs next to the throne along with the Kings and Queens of Old. Caspian entered the cathedral, all eyes turned to him.

Lily's breath caught when she saw him: he was wearing a white tunic, detailed in shining gold thread, a deep blue sash crossed his chest, and a red cape lined with fur fell to the floor from his shoulders. He walked slowly down the aisle, smiling at familiar faces, human and animal. His face was cleaned of the blood and dirt from the battle and his dark brown hair brushed his shoulders. He was very handsome and he looked like a king.

Caspian met Lily's eyes and he seemed to forget where he was. She was beautiful: a deep red gown embroidered with gold and long sleeves clung to her body gently and pooled at her feet and trailed behind her. Her long dark brown hair cascaded down her back and her face was bright with rosy cheeks as she smiled at him softly.

Caspian ascended the stairs and knelt before Aslan on the carpeted landing.

Aslan's voice filled with cathedral with its warmth: "This land shall never again be ruled by those with greed and hate in their hearts. You will protect these people, man and animal alike, and seek fairness and understanding in every decision. You will do what is best for the people and you will never act out in anger. This kingdom needs a strong noble leader, one who will lead it through both in times of struggle and prosperity. This kingdom will shine as it once did and be a beacon of truth and strength. Will you do these things?"

Caspian swallowed and though Lily saw the anxiousness in his eyes as he looked up at Aslan, his voice rang out clear.

"I will."

"Will you stay true to yourself and be strong in your decisions and be confident to rely on your own understanding?"

"I will."

"Will you face the greatest dangers and put your safety before all others and fight for your people?"

"I will."

Aslan nodded to Peter. The blonde king took the crown from Lily and went to Caspian. He lowered it until it rested on Caspian and he went back to Aslan's side.

Aslan looked up to the people, "Then, by the power invested in me, I now declare you, Caspian X, King of Narnia."

Caspian rose and went forward to the throne, turned, and faced his people.

Lily smiled up at him, pride radiating from her.

Cheers rang out, loud enough to echo in the mountains: "LONG LIVE KING CASPIAN! LONG LIVE KING CASPIAN!"


	26. Another Celebration

That night they feasted, everyone sat at a table and ate as much as they could. Some had never seen a full plate. The hall was lit with torches and candelabras and the glass doors to the balconies were opened to let in the night air. There was another throne and place for the King and his family at the head of the circular room with stairs leading up to it but Caspian did not sit there: e roamed around the room, hugging his friends and Doctor Cornelius who beamed at him. He went from table to table, talking with everyone.

Lily and her friends laughed and reenacted the battle for Leland and Gabriel.

"They were _trees_!" Lily exclaimed, the Pevensies laughing at her. "I couldn't believe my eyes!"

Leland laughed and clapped his sister on the shoulder, "nothing should take you by surprise anymore, Lily."

Lily had told Leland about Alvarez and his death. Leland told her that it was Alvarez that had convinced Miraz to take them as prisoners, the only request he had ever made to Miraz. After hearing of his death, Leland was quiet.

After feasting, the fauns and musicians began to play music, encouraging everyone to dance. They moved away from the tables and onto the wide spacious floor, dancing gaily with each other.

They danced well in to the night, never tiring or wanting to stop. Aslan departed before the feast; Lucy said he often went off by himself.

Lily laughed as she broke away from Eris and Lucy, needing to catch her breath. She went outside onto the wide arching balcony that was decorated with flowers. She rested against the banister, looking up to the twinkling stars. She could have sworn that there were more stars, too, and brighter than before. Everything was different now.

She looked down at the city, lit with burning torches and street lamps. There were even people dancing in the streets, all coming to the castle. Caspian announced that everyone was welcome into the castle, not just noblemen and councilmen.

She sighed, listening to the happy music. Then she heard someone walk onto the balcony behind her.

She turned and her cheeks reddened when she saw Caspian.

"Your majesty," she said automatically as she bowed. She had heard everyone say it a hundred times that day, it felt only natural to say it now.

But Caspian looked at her questioningly. He removed the crown from his head and placed it on the banister carefully. He reached out to her and lifted her chin, meeting her blue eyes.

"I am still me," he said with a sad smile.

She smiled blushingly, "with a great deal of responsibilities."

He dropped his hand from her face. Her face was warm where his fingers had touched her.

He looked down at his crown and she sensed his doubt.

"You will be a great king."

Caspian's mind was elsewhere; he was distracted. He looked up at her, meeting her eyes, and was breathless at her beauty: the soft curl of her long hair, the way her eyes shined as if she saw more than what was in front of her, the way her lips were lifted in a soft smile.

He thought about his conversation with Leland earlier when he was preparing to be crowned.

"_Just go for it_," Leland had said, smiling. Caspian had looked at him, confused, but he knew to what Leland was referring. "_If you ask, she will say yes. I know she will_."

He knew he could not resist his feelings any longer.

He took a deep, even breath and looked up at the stars. He spoke slowly, carefully, and his accent made the words even softer.

"A king is nothing without the grace and strength of a queen by his side."

Lily nodded as she looked down at her hands resting on the banister. He did not understand why she looked sad.

She laughed quietly, "I suppose you are right…there are many suitable girls…"

But she paused, thinking. She looked up at him and he looked down at her softly, seeing understanding dawn in her striking eyes.

She was at a loss for words, "Caspian…"

He looked down at her hands and took them gently in his, holding them close to him. His hands were warm.

"Do you remember when we were younger, before we were separated, we used to go to the southeast tower to look at the stars? I showed you the constellations I learned from my professor and you said the stars left you breathless…"

He paused, seeming nervous, but he looked into her eyes and she stared up at him, feeling more vulnerable than she had ever felt before.

He spoke slowly, with purpose, "I felt breathless too…but it was not the stars' doing."

She read his dark eyes, listening to his every word. Her heart beat faster than a bird's wings.

"You were taken from me and it was…unbearable. And it was then I realized that I never wished to be separated from you again for as long as I live."

She couldn't breathe.

"Lily," he said gently, looking at her as if she were more precious than the sun itself. "Will you have me?"

She stared into his eyes for the longest time until she smiled the most beautiful smile Caspian had ever seen.

Her eyes shined with joy, "of course I will."

Caspian laughed and smiled in spite of himself, disbelieving her words. But he took her hand and pulled her back into the dancing room and through the crowd. Lily ran to keep up with him as she held a corner of her dress off the ground, laughing. Everyone looked at them in confusion, wondering what was going on.

They ran to the front of the hall and faced everyone, Caspian still holding Lily's hand.

He nodded to the band leader and the music stopped. Everyone turned to look at him and some smiled, like Leland and Susan, who already knew the news.

"Everyone," Caspian said breathlessly, his eyes bright with excitement. "This has been the happiest day of my life. And I am happy that you are all here, my friends, to share in this moment with me…"

He turned to Lily and his eyes were filled with amazement as he looked down at her, holding her hand to his chest, "tomorrow, Lily and I are to be married."

The room exploded with cheers and Lily laughed as her cheeks reddened.

"I knew it!" Edmund shouted.

Lucy and Susan both elbowed him playfully.

Leland whistled loudly as he clapped, smiling up at them proudly.

Fireworks suddenly lit the night sky outside the windows and everyone rushed to the balcony to see them. Caspian and Lily went to join them.

"You are sure this is what you want?" Caspian asked Lily, reading her face.

She met his eyes and smiled tenderly, her eyes genuine, "Since meeting you, it is what I have wanted most."


	27. A New Beginning

Lily stared at herself in the mirror for a very long time. She felt as if she had forgotten to breathe.

Her friends, her dear friends, were buzzing around her, pinning her hair up and putting flowers in it. Lucy and Eris kept fawning over how beautiful she looked, for beautiful she was:

Her gown was exquisite and ornate, soft creamy white against her skin with gold threaded bordering. It flowed down her body, pooling around her on the floor. Her long dark hair was pinned up in an intricate twisted braid, Susan's doing. They pinned white stargazer lilies underneath it where a veil fell like a waterfall to the floor and trailed behind her.

"Where is Leland?" she asked quickly, looking at the door.

Susan laughed, "He's right outside. You need one more thing."

Susan went to the window where a wooden box was sitting in the bright sunshine. She opened it and took from it a silver crown, delicate and stunning. It looked as if she had woven small flowers and leaves together and dipped it into silver.

Susan placed the crown on Lily's hair and she beamed.

"Now you're ready."

Lily's heart took off like a galloping horse.

"Don't be so nervous!" Marsonia exclaimed, laughing at her friend's frightened expression.

"Surely someone as brave as you, who has fought in battles, isn't afraid of a wedding," Lucy asked, eyeing Lily suspiciously.

Lily's eyes widened, "of course not!"

Everyone laughed at her quick response.

Lily picked up her dress and stepped off the pedestal and followed Susan to the door.

"But in all honesty," Lily said gently. "I can't believe this is actually happening," She smiled up at Genia and Eris.

"You've wanted this for so long," Eris said as she kissed Lily on the cheek.

Lily looked at her questioningly.

Eris raised her eyebrows, "you're a little easier to read than you think."

Lily laughed and hugged her friend.

Susan opened the door, revealing Leland who had his back to them, his hand clasped behind him, as if he didn't have a care in the world.

But once he turned, his eyes became serious for a moment, then adoring. He was dressed in a black and hunter green tunic and pants, his dark hair pulled back at the nape of his neck. He looked handsome.

Lily smiled at him.

Leland stepped closer to her, taking her hands. His smile was broad.

"Lily," he said tenderly. Then he tilted his head to the side and she saw humor in his smile as he looked at her dress and veil, "not bad."

The girls hit him on the arms playfully, protesting his indifference.

Leland drew Lily close and kissed her on the forehead.

They walked through the castle, seeing many humans and animals as they passed through the corridors, all smiled and waved at her. She was not used to so much attention. But she knew it would take time to adjust to.

The banners had been changed for the occasion to white and gold and there were lilies and big white flowers everywhere. When the company came upon wooden doors guarded by two fauns, the doors that led to the main balcony, Lily felt a chill. He was waiting for her on the other side of those doors.

"It's time," Leland said in her ear.

Her friends smiled at her one last time and went to go through the side door. Susan handed her a bouquet of white lilies and winked at her before disappearing with her sister.

Lily exhaled slowly. She did not know why she was so nervous. It was then she realized that she no longer had to hide her feelings the way she had when she lived in the castle. They were free from danger and free to speak what had been on their hearts for a very long time.

Leland nodded to the fauns and they opened the doors, bright sunshine falling on the brother and sister.

Lily wrapped her hands around Leland's arm and he placed his hand over hers. He smiled at her before they looked out to the sea of smiling faces.

The main balcony held a hundred Narnians, if not more. Humans and animals alike smiled at Lily and she smiled naturally in return. White petals were falling from above, like snow, and tall banners fluttered in the warm breeze. The aisle was marked with a white carpet and at the end of it was Aslan, his golden mane brilliant in the sunlight. Behind him was a tree with a twisted trunk and bright green leaves. The balcony over looked the distant blue mountains, the lush forest, and the city; a breathtaking view.

But Lily did not see any of this.

Standing next to Aslan was Caspian. He looked at her like he had never looked at her before, as if he was seeing her for the first time. He was wearing white and gold as well and his crown gleamed in the sunlight. His eyes were dark and warm and they met hers as soon as he saw her.

Caspian could not believe his eyes, seeing Lily under a cascade of white petals, her presence smoothing him. Everyone was stunned by her beauty but not like him; he was overcome with emotions, emotions he had long suppressed. He smiled warmly as he watched her and Leland walk towards him. She was indescribable.

He felt a nervous wave and slight doubt that he could ever be worthy of her. But then he felt a strange warmth of strength and courage. He glanced at Aslan and the lion barely nodded his head to him.

Lily and Leland walked up the three stone steps, leading up to Aslan and Caspian. Leland kissed Lily again on the forehead before stepping down.

Lily looked up at Caspian and breathed a sigh, smiling. His smile grew.

She looked at Aslan and he looked at her kindly, his golden eyes calming her heart.

Everything became quiet and Aslan's deep voice was the only sound to be heard.

"My friends, we gather on this day not only to celebrate the freedom of Narnia, but a love that has lasted through its dark times. A love that has stood the test of hate and those who sought to destroy it."

Aslan spoke to Caspian and Lily, his voice like a soft rumble, "This journey will not be easy. There will be hardships for you both and you must face them together. For if one fails, so does the other."

He looked to Lily, "You must be his light when he is lost in darkness and a voice of truth when others try to deceive him. As Queen of Narnia, you must be gentle and good but also a pillar of strength that must not falter. You will face hardships of your own and you must not rely solely on yourself to find the answer. As you have learned to love, you must learn to trust."

Lily took a deep breath and nodded her head once slowly. On hearing the words "Queen of Narnia" she felt a wave of new strength, of grace, as she looked in to the Lion's eyes.

Aslan looked to Caspian, "You must fulfill the duties of a King but you must not forget your duties as a devoted companion. You must be her strength when she is weak and you must be there to comfort her when she is troubled. You must think of her as you would think of your people: she is devoted and relying on you to protect her and care for her. As you have learned to love, you must learn to be sure."

Caspian nodded once as well, his face solemn as he took Aslan's words to heart.

Aslan looked back to Lily, "Do you, Lily, promise to do these things and to stand by his side as Queen of Narnia?"

Lily met Caspian's eyes and a small smile appeared on her lips, "I do."

"Do you, King Caspian X, promise to do these things and to stand by her side as a devoted companion as well as King of Narnia?"

Caspian looked at her softly, "I do."

Aslan's voice rose, "Then on this day, I declare you as man and wife, King and Queen of Narnia."

The crowd roared but Caspian, unable to restrain himself, reached out and took Lily's face softly in his hands and met her lips abruptly.

Lily was surprised but all thoughts left her mind when his lips touched hers. As he kissed her softly, she felt an overwhelming emotion, one that had been quiet but was now rejoicing inside her and made her body sing.

The crowd and the crowds below in the city roared louder at this kiss, whistling and clapping, and shouting their names: "LONG LIVE KING CASPIAN! LONG LIVE QUEEN LILY!"

Caspian opened his eyes as he broke the kiss, seeing her beautiful face smiling back at him. Though he did not smile in return, Lily saw the deep love he had for her in his eyes.

They stood there for a long moment, staring at each other and could not hear the shouts of their people. Time stopped and they felt a new kind of freedom.

Caspian touched Lily's hair and her cheek, marveling at her.

She smiled beautifully at him and he kissed her passionately again. The crowd cheered louder and he wrapped his arms around her, still holding their kiss, and lifted her, spinning.

The crowd was nothing but smiles and when Caspian set Lily back on her feet, they broke away from each other and looked at Aslan.

Aslan smiled at them and then spoke to the Narnians, "But there are other things to be done on this day. Let the people of Telmar come forward."

Caspian and Lily stepped to the side behind Aslan. Caspian squeezed Lily's hand and glanced down at her.

Lily nodded; the night before, Aslan had spoken to her, Caspian, and the Pevensies about his plans for the Telmarines who did not wish to stay. But how would he do it?

A silence fell over the crowd as some Telmarines stepped forward. They had been in the castle during the ceremony and they looked nervous as they walked down the aisle towards the lion to meet their new fate. Viria was among them and she glanced up at Caspian and Lily, jealousy in her eyes. But, for once, she stayed silent.

Caspian's aunt, Prunaprismia

Aslan looked to Caspian and nodded to him. Caspian took a deep breath and stepped forward, dropping Lily's hand.

"Narnia belongs to the Narnians, just as it does to man," he said to all. "Any Telmarines who want to stay and live in peace are welcome to. But for any who wish, Aslan will return you to the home of our forefathers."

General Glozelle stepped forward and Lily recognized him as being the only general under Miraz who had a conscience.

"It's been generations since we left Telmar," he said tentatively.

"We're not referring to Telmar," Aslan said gently.

Glozelle lowered his head, not meeting Aslan's eyes.

"Your ancestors were seafaring brigands. Pirates run aground on an island. There they found a cave, a rare chasm that brought them here from their world, the same world as our kings and queens. It is to that island I can return you. It is a good place for any who wish to make a new start."

General Glozelle looked down at Prunaprismia, who held her baby son close to her. There was fear in her eyes but he looked back up, meeting Aslan's eyes.

"I will go," he said.

Others spoke up, agreeing to go.

Aslan stepped closer to the tree, turning his face to it. He opened his mouth and breathed life into the tree.

The tree shook and the stone beneath it crumbled and the twisted trunk began to turn, becoming an open doorway. On the other side was the open air, a drop to the ground far below.

Lily looked at the tree, her dark brows furrowed and looked to Caspian. But he looked sure.

General Glozelle looked at Aslan with fear and confusion in his eyes.

Aslan looked at him gently, "Because you have spoken first, your future in that world shall be good."

General Glozelle seemed unsure at first but there was something in the lion's eyes that gave him courage and certainty that they would be safe. He stepped forward with Prunaprismia at his side.

They went through the opening and did not fall to the ground below but simply disappeared in thin air. Everyone gasped, some in amazement, others in fear. Caspian himself was surprised and looked through the opening.

"Where did they go?" someone shouted.

"They killed them!" another yelled.

"How do we know he is not leading us to our death?" said a Telmarine next to Viria.

"Sire," said Reepicheep, stepping forward, "If my example can be of any service, I will take eleven mice through with no delay."

Peter, standing next to his siblings with Leland, stepped forward. His light eyes were sad but he knew what had to be done.

"We'll go."

Edmund and Lucy looked up in surprise.

"We will?"

Peter smiled halfheartedly, "come on. Our time's up. After all…"

He began walking up the stone steps and he looked up to Caspian and Lily.

He met Caspian's eyes, "we're not really needed here anymore."

Peter drew his sword and laid it gently in Caspian's hands. Peter looked at Caspian like a friend who was sad to say goodbye but with the grace of a king.

Caspian looked Peter in the eye, overcome with gratitude.

"I will look after it until you return."

"I'm afraid that's just it," Peter said. He looked at Aslan, who nodded to him. He looked back to answer Caspian's puzzled expression, "We're not coming back."

Lily gasped and Lucy's face fell as she stared at her brother and sister. Edmund stared at Aslan in disbelief.

"We're not?" Lucy asked with heartbreak in her voice.

"You two are," answered Susan as she looked to Lucy and Edmund. Then her brow furrowed as she looked at the lion, who was calmly watching. "At least, I think he means you two."

"But why?" Lucy asked Aslan. "Did they do something wrong?"

"Quit e the opposite, dear one," answered Aslan. "But all things have their time. Your brother and sister have learned what they can from this world. Now it's time for them to live in their own."

Peter reached out and hugged Lucy's shoulders, "It's alright, Lu. It's not how I thought it would be…" he looked at Aslan. "But it's all right. One day you'll see too. Come on."

The Pevensies went up the steps to join Peter and Lily stepped forward. Susan looked at her and without saying a word, they both opened their arms and embraced each other.

Tears escaped Lily's eyes and Susan gently squeezed her.

"There are no words I can say that will express my gratitude for our friendship," Lily said after a long moment.

Susan looked at her and smiled, "You will be a wonderful queen…just don't be better than me."

They laughed and Lily wiped her tears. Lucy came up and hugged her too.

"I hope to see you soon," Lily said with a wide smile. She adored Lucy.

Lucy smiled, "soon."

Edmund smiled cleverly at Lily, "don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Lily laughed and Caspian joined her at her side.

The Pevensies gathered near the door and with one last look at Aslan and the King and Queen, they vanished. And soon after them, the other Telmarines followed.

….

Peace was restored to Narnia and it was greater than it ever had been before. Homes were built throughout the land, both for animals and humans, and the Narnians multiplied to the thousands. Cair Paravel was restored, as Lily had promised to Susan and she finally saw the sea. And many things happened after that…but that is an entirely different story.


End file.
